'Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Ocon fire back at F1 doubters'

The Haas driver was unquestionably one of the central figures during Thursday’s media day in Montreal, with fresh speculation surrounding his Formula 1 future dominating much of the discussion ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Recent rumours had suggested the Frenchman’s place at Haas could already be under threat for 2027, with some reports even hinting at a possible early exit before the end of the current season.

Speaking with GPblog among other media outlets, Ocon reacted strongly to the speculation and categorically denied any issue behind the scenes at Haas. The French driver appeared visibly frustrated by the reports circulating in recent days, insisting there has been no fallout with team principal Ayao Komatsu and dismissing the stories as entirely fabricated.

“Honestly, complete bull***t., to be honest. It's unbelievable. I mean, we were just talking with Ayao just now. The article I saw was calling him Ryo Komatsu, which is quite funny. And they were even saying that we had a massive dispute in Miami. It's complete nonsense. Honestly, it's all fabricated and complete bull***t,” he said.

Another driver who made headlines during Thursday’s media day by firmly addressing speculation surrounding his future was Lewis Hamilton. The Ferrari driver responded directly to recent rumours suggesting retirement could already become a possibility in the near future, making it clear he has no intention of stepping away from Formula 1 anytime soon.

Speaking during the Canadian Grand Prix press conference, Hamilton stressed that his contractual situation remains completely clear and underlined that he is still fully committed to Ferrari’s long-term project. The seven-time world champion also insisted his motivation and passion for Formula 1 remain as strong as ever despite approaching the later stages of his career.

Hamilton appeared particularly determined when discussing the constant speculation around his future, suggesting there are many people eager to see him retire even though the idea is far from his own thinking. Instead, the Briton explained that he is already looking far ahead and continues to plan for the coming years with full focus on remaining competitive at the top level of the sport.

Jim Kimberley and Ben Hunt unpack both stories alongside much more - listen to the full episode below!