Esteban Ocon has taken to social media to reach out to fans after his shocking and controversial axe from the Haas Formula 1 team.
The Frenchman’s future in the sport was thrown into doubt when the American squad announced that would be replaced by Formula 2 title-leader Rafa Camara.
But his stint with the team came to an abrupt end in Mexico two weeks ago, when he was replaced at the 11th hour by reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa.
After a terse exchange of words with his race engineer Laura Mueller in FP2, rumours were rife that Ocon was involved in some sort of physical alteration with an unnamed member of the team amid its Friday debrief.
Ocon quickly took to his social media at that moment to deny such an incident occurred, with Haas and its Team Principal, Ayao Komatsu, refusing to add further details.
Hirakawa completed the race with a points-scoring 10th place, with Camara making his F1 debut earlier than expected at his home Grand Prix in Sao Paulo last weekend.
One-time Grand Prix-winner Ocon now faces a potential spell on the sidelines, having iterated and reiterated his desire to be in F1 and F1 alone, ruling out racing in any other series.
Taking to his Instagram and X accounts, Ocon expressed enormous gratitude to his fans during this particularly trying time.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for all your messages. Your support means a great deal to me,” he wrote.
“To the fans, colleagues and former colleagues who have taken the time to reach out as well, I’m truly grateful. My love for this sport remains as strong as ever, and I’m grateful to share that passion with so many of you.
“Thank you for your kindness and encouragement.
“Esteban”.
With most teams now settled on their line-ups for 2027, Ocon faces a period out of F1, with a seat at Cadillac – should it decide to part ways with Valtteri Bottas – his only realistic opportunity.
READ MORE – Oliver Bearman breaks silence on Esteban Ocon departure
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