Esteban Ocon was defiant in his response to suggestions that perhaps, with further influxes of new drivers, his chances to succeed in Formula 1 are over.
The Frenchman is entering his ninth season in F1 in 2026, alongside Oliver Bearman at Haas once again, after a positive campaign with the American side.
Haas also arrives in the New Year with an extended technical alliance and subsequent title partnership with Japanese marque Toyota.
Ocon ended 2025 15th in the Drivers’ Championship, two places and a mere three points behind Bearman, who impressed with a string of brilliant drives.
Former Mercedes junior driver Ocon is yet to find a truly competitive team to fully prove his worth and speed, with just one Grand Prix victory still to his name.
And with the likes of Bearman and fellow rookies Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar impressing too, there is another newbie in 2026 with Arvid Lindblad lining up at Racing Bulls.
Asked ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi last month if he still feels he has a shot to consistently fight at the front, Ocon responded in bellicose fashion.
“Yeah, otherwise I would not be here,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “I would not even participate at this stage of my career. That’s where I want to be in the future.
“It has happened for a lot of drivers that they arrive at the right place at the right time. If you look at 2023, I look at Canada, I look at all the early places in the season, Jeddah in 2023. I was fighting with Lando [Norris] three races in a row, last lap battles for P6, P7. And here he is with a race-winning car and a chance to fight for the title.
“I think never give up, that’s the honest answer. I’m here in the purpose of fighting for that in the future. Otherwise, why would I train so hard, put in so much effort to be here to fight for P10?
“That’s what we are doing at the moment. This is not really what the dream is all about.”
READ MORE – Why Haas’ deeper F1 ties to Toyota has buoyed Esteban Ocon
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