Ocon has already heard Haas' decision on his Formula 1 future

During the media day in Baku, Ocon publicly kept his options open. Asked whether he could drive for Haas next season as well, he replied: “We’ll see.”

It is now clear that the Frenchman will not continue with Haas in 2027. Ocon's uncertainty about his future now mainly concerns what comes next for him elsewhere, as GPblog understands that he has been informed of the team's decision ahead of the race weekend in Baku.

That his future in Formula 1 is anything but certain is something Ocon himself already acknowledged in Azerbaijan. “At the moment, I'm definitely a free agent for next year,” he said.

He also confirmed that he is talking to other teams, but did not disclose anything specific. “There are things in discussion that are out of my control. Certain topics are out of my control. So, I will keep pushing until the end of the year and see how it goes,” Ocon said.

He wants to remain fully committed to Haas until the end of the season. At the same time, he defended his performances, arguing that the car's problems have obscured what he could have achieved this year.

The Frenchman emphasized that his teammate, Oliver Bearman, and team principal Ayao Komatsu also acknowledge the ongoing issues. He believes he delivered whenever the car allowed him to do so. That assessment is relevant to him now, as he has to explain to the outside world why his Haas results do not fully reflect his performance.

Rafael Camara is expected to be Haas' next driver, with GPblog previously reporting that there's a 90% chance of the Brazilian replacing Ocon. However, the deal with the Ferrari junior is not yet completely finalized.

Haas also looked at Leonardo Fornaroli and Ryo Hirakawa. Fornaroli was dropped after the test in Portimao. Hirakawa was the preferred candidate of technical partner Toyota, but Haas favors Camara.

In addition to his pace, his commercial appeal in Brazil also makes him an attractive option for the team. Camara is expected to become the teammate of Oliver Bearman, who is likely to stay on for a third season. That would give Haas two drivers under contract with Ferrari in 2027.