Haas announces Ocon to complete new F1 driver line-up in 2025

Haas has announced that Esteban Ocon will move to the team on a multi-year contract upon his departure from Alpine once the current Formula 1 season concludes.

Ocon has been associated with Alpine since 2020, but it was revealed last month that he wouldn’t renew his long-standing partnership with the Enstone-based squad.

The Frenchman has long been linked with a switch to Haas, which will have an all-new pairing next season as Ferrari protege Oliver Bearman conducts his debut term.

Ocon has expressed that he’s been “impressed” with Haas’ rise up the order this term, with the American squad residing in seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.

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“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my Formula 1 career and join MoneyGram Haas F1 Team from the start of the 2025 season,” Ocon said.

“I’ll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me.

“I’d like to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support, and for our honest and fruitful discussions these last few months.

“On a more personal note, I’m very happy to be working with Ayao again, as he’s been a part of my debut when I first stepped into a Formula 1 car during my Lotus Junior days more than 10 years ago.

“MoneyGram Haas F1 Team has exciting plans and clear targets for the future, and I’m very much looking forward to working with everyone in Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello, and being part of this great project.”

Ocon’s acquisition means Haas will field a race-winning driver, with the current Alpine driver having claimed his maiden F1 success at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.

That triumph at the Hungaroring sandwiched podiums at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix and 2023 Monaco Grand Prix across 146 race starts with three separate teams.

Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu added: “I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team.

“I’ve obviously been aware of his talents for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s maiden run in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer that day with Lotus.

“He displayed his talents back then coming off the back of strong performances in the junior categories – he’d just won the 2014 European Formula 3 Championship.

“Esteban’s gone on to become an established talent in Formula 1 and of course a grand prix winner.

“The experience he brings, not just from his own talent base but also from working for a manufacturer team, will be advantageous to us in our growth as an organization.

“It was vital we had a driver with experience in beside Oliver Bearman next year, but Esteban’s only 27 – he’s still young with a lot to prove as well.

“I think we have a hungry, dynamic driver pairing and I look forward to welcoming Esteban into MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for 2025.”