Esteban Ocon has refused to comment on the reasons behind his impending exit from the Haas Formula 1 team, but indicated they aren’t related to performance.
The Frenchman’s much-rumoured departure from the Banbury-based squad was confirmed earlier this week, after confirming he was a “free agent” over the Azerbaijan GP weekend.
Rumours have largely pointed towards – with Motorsport Week also understanding – that Formula 2 title-leader Rafael Camara will be taking Ocon’s place in the team.
After two seasons with Haas, Ocon’s stint has felt brief and unfulfilled, but, reiterating comments made in an exclusive interview with Motorsport Week in June, the 30-year-old pointed towards his input being crucial to Haas’ ongoing progress.
“No, I don’t think that has anything to do with that,” he told media, including Motorsport Week, in Sepang, when asked if inconsistencies in his performances have caused the split.
“I’ve just been doing my job trying to get the cars to where they should be and at the end of the day it has benefited everyone in the team because we see the result of the hard work that we’ve put in and me pointing the fingers at the current issues.
“Obviously I was the first one to experience that so it took us a few races to realise that it was actually there. But we all realise since quite a while now that this has happened and it’s clear in everyone’s mind in the engineering office.
“So those are, I don’t think, the reasons.”
“I know the reasons”: Esteban Ocon knowing but coy on Haas exit cause
The speculation around Ocon’s future with the American outfit began in the early part of summer, with Ocon and Haas subjected to stories around Team Principal Ayao Komatsu’s alleged outburst towards his driver in Canada.
This was swiftly, angrily and continuously denied, but the non-incident set the tone for Camara’s name entering the chat, the Brazilian ticking two boxes if hired.
Not only are his F2 performances and results naturally attractive to any team, but as a Ferrari junior, it would be likely that the 21-year-old’s contract would be financed by the Scuderia, who supply power units to Haas.
When asked if he can consider any logic behind the decision to part ways, or when he started to realise when this may be happening, Ocon may have got tongues wagging despite saying little.
“Again, I don’t have any further to comment really on this,” he said. “Looking ahead, not in the past. I’m not going to comment on the reasons or what could be.
“I know the reasons. I’m not going to share them. But the reasons are not performance, that’s clear.”
READ MORE – Lando Norris makes Monza-style chaos prediction for Sepang’s F1 return
Discussion about this post