Karun Chandhok believes a “volatile environment” at Haas has led to Esteban Ocon being dropped at the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix.
Ocon has been dropped by the Banbury-based squad after Friday running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The shock decision came with Team Principal Ayao Komatsu’s cryptic clarification behind the Frenchman’s abrupt ousting.
“Yeah, I can’t tell you much, but at least I can tell you that he’s not ill,” he had told Sky Sports.
Ocon had been unhappy with the team’s sudden change of plans during FP2, ditching a Soft tyre run during the second practice session.
Chandhok believes that the decision replace Ocon with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa isn’t an impulse decision but a consequence of built up tension inside the team for quite some time now.
“What Haas can say is that he is not being replaced because of any illness so we can put two and two together and come to the conclusion that the fallout carried on into the debrief and whatever discussions there were later on and the team have decided to stand him down,” Chandhok said on Sky Sports F1.
“From my opinion, I get you are trying to learn whatever you can from FP2 and gain information for the race but that is not necessarily worth the battle with your team. I think you have to be smart picking your battles.
“If you look at the tyre choice itself, in a normal situation I don’t think a driver would care as much but in the situation he is in, knowing he has been dropped for next year, he is fighting for a drive.
“That is where the frustration has come from and why it has blown up into a situation we haven’t seen for a long time, if ever.
“We can deduce this is a pretty volatile environment that’s gone on.
“I don’t think this is a one-off. I think this has been building up ever since the rumours started of him being replaced, and then he actually got replaced.”
What is next for Esteban Ocon after “real shame” sacking at F1 Mexico City GP
David Croft added to Chandhok’s comments, suggesting that Haas’ decision to part ways with Ocon at the end of the 2026 season has been the starting point of these tensions.
The Frenchman is set to make way for Ferrari junior Rafael Camara at Haas from 2027 onwards.
“We don’t know an awful lot. Haas are being tight-lipped,” Croft said.
“But talking behind the scenes, the relationship between Esteban and the team for obvious reasons hasn’t been magnificent in recent races.
“He’s being replaced by Rafael Camara next season, the young Brazilian leading F2 currently.
“He wasn’t happy with the tyre allocation runs yesterday. We can put two and two together and make four on this one and say that has got something to do with it, and his reaction to what the team were asking him.
“It’s a real shame because Esteban Ocon is a fine driver.”
Whether Ocon will be back at Haas for the race weekend at Interlagos is yet to be confirmed by either party.
READ MORE – Esteban Ocon hits back at F1 rumours after Haas replacement
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