Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon is now in his 11th season in Formula One. He has been employed by five different teams in that time and was previously a highly rated Mercedes junior driver. He made his debut for Manor at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2016, replacing Rio Haryanto, whose sponsors failed to meet their obligations.
Ocon quickly developed a reputation for raw speed and a defensive tenacity and became known for being extremely difficult to overtake—particularly amongst his teammates. Throughout his career, there have been turbulent times between the Frenchman and his teammates, starting with his fiery battles with Sergio Pérez when they were paired at Force India.
At the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, Ocon was being lapped by Max Verstappen. Yet his stubborn nature refused to let the Red Bull driver through, and their cars collided, with both suffering damage. Esteban was handed a severe punishment from the stewards with a ten-second stop-and-go penalty—quite rare in F1.
When Lance Stroll was recruited to the Silverstone team in 2018, Ocon found himself sidelined for a season and returned to the Mercedes fold as a reserve driver. He found a home at Renault the following season, but was to be paired with his once boyhood friend and now sworn rival, Pierre Gasly.
Childhood Friends and Bitter Rivals
Growing up just 30 minutes apart in Normandy, Ocon and Gasly were very close friends when they first started karting as young kids. They spent countless weekends training together and visiting each other’s homes. However, as they made their way through the motorsport ranks and began fighting directly for national and international karting championships, the intense pressure created a major fracture.
It was at the 2009 Bridgestone Cup where their friendship turned to enmity. As the race reached its climax, Gasly made a move to overtake Ocon for the win. Both drivers crashed out, and the bitterness between them was born.
Almost Senna-and-Prost-like, there would be another similar flashpoint at the following season’s 2010 World Karting Championship in Portugal. Another collision saw them both eliminated, and the rivalry now extended the tensions between their families as they competed for sponsors and race opportunities.
It was inevitable the pairing at Renault/Alpine would not end well. There were fireworks between the pair as they collided during the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. Then came Monaco the following year, when, with Gasly directly ahead of his teammate and a first-lap red flag thrown, Ocon made an attempt to pass his teammate on the entrance to the tunnel, which ended with Esteban out of the race and Gasly severely compromised.
The Alpine team boss was fuming live on French TV and threatened “consequences” for Ocon. Esteban changed out of his overalls during the red flag and was seen leaving the circuit in his civvies with a jaunty saunter before the restart.
Moving to Haas and New Pressures
Inevitably, Ocon would announce he was leaving Alpine and found a home at Haas F1, partnering rising star Oliver Bearman. The intra-team rivalry was tight between the pair, and with Bearman stringing together a run of strong finishes, he edged ahead of his teammate.
This season, the tale of the teammates is radically different. Of the points Alpine have scored, Ocon has just a handful. Haas F1 have faced struggles, and team owner Gene Haas is said to be getting irritated behind the scenes.
Behind the Scenes: Intensive TPC Testing
Historically, Haas F1 have done little in the way of a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme. F1 teams are only allowed to test cars which are two seasons old. For example, Mercedes are said to have given Kimi Antonelli significant mileage the season before he replaced Lewis Hamilton.
Yet this year, Haas have been hard at it running TPC sessions. The latest was this week at the Spanish circuit in Jerez, where Jack Doohan, Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa, and 2024 Super Formula champion Sho Tsuboi all took part.
This was Doohan’s first outing in an F1 car since he parted ways with Alpine. Doohan signed this season for Haas as their test and reserve driver, but it appears he is under consideration for a future race seat.
Given Toyota’s much-increased involvement with Haas, it is understandable why the two Japanese drivers were at the Jerez test this week. However, Doohan already has experience in F1, and his outing served to benchmark him against Hirakawa and Tsuboi.
Komatsu’s Criteria and Ocon’s Future
Prior to the summer break, paddock rumors swirled over a rift between Ocon and team principal Ayao Komatsu. Both parties strongly denied there was any truth behind the reports, although suspicions lingered. Neither Bearman nor Ocon have contracts which extend beyond this season, and were Gene Haas content to retain his driver lineup, an announcement would probably have been made by now.
Prior to the test in Jerez, Haas conducted another TPC in Portimão, which included Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara, McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, and Hirakawa. Haas team boss Komatsu is candid about the criteria for him deciding on who will be driving for the team:
“We really want two fast drivers because that’s the best way to grow this team.”
When asked when a decision would be forthcoming, Komatsu’s explanation made it clear it was not his alone to make immediately: “I don’t know. Not next week, shall I say.”
What is true is that Haas have done some serious evaluation of their options, and given the performance and points gap, Ocon faces immense pressure as Gene Haas and management weigh up their choices for the future
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A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
