Ocon dismisses Haas exit talk as ‘complete bullshit’

Esteban Ocon has shut down speculation about a mid-season Haas exit, labeling the rumors as 'complete bullshit' and 'fabricated' ahead of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix. The Frenchman, who is out of contract at year-end, insisted his relationship with team principal Ayao Komatsu remains strong and pointed to misidentification in some reports—where Komatsu was confused with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa—as evidence of the story's lack of credibility.

Why it matters:

For a midfield team like Haas, stability in the driver line-up is crucial to extract maximum performance. Ocon's forceful denial aims to kill off a narrative that could distract the team and damage sponsorship confidence, especially as the squad brings a significant upgrade package to Canada after a difficult Miami round.

The details:

• Ocon laughed off the original article but admitted the speculation grew so large that he had to address it publicly.
• He stressed that his move to Haas was partly due to his long-standing relationship with Komatsu, which 'has always been the case'.
• When asked about being outscored by teammate Ollie Bearman early in 2026, Ocon attributed the gap to safety car timing rather than performance: 'The pace has been good, the work has been good.'
• He acknowledged that baseless rumors affect not only him but also his family and sponsors, calling the reputational damage 'disappointing'.
• Haas has brought new upgrades to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which Ocon hopes will help the team bounce back into the top 10.

What's next:

Ocon is focused on extracting the most from the upgraded VF-26 this weekend in Montreal. If the package delivers the expected performance, the Frenchman believes the points will flow naturally—and that the off-track noise will quickly fade.