After achieving four podiums and a Grand Prix win in midfield machinery, Haas’ decision to hire Esteban Ocon would have seemed like a vote of confidence in the abilities of the #31 driver. However, the Kannapolis-based team’s boss, Ayao Komatsu reveals the real reason behind the Frenchman’s signing.
After five years with Renault (now Alpine), Ocon has left the team for a new adventure with Haas. Komatsu wanted an experienced yet young pair of hands in the cockpit alongside 2025 rookie, Oliver Bearman. At the age of 28, Ocon fit the bill perfectly.
“I wanted someone still young, but experienced at the same time,” explained Komatsu, per FormulaPassion.it.
That said, the Japanese engineer believes that Ocon has still a lot left to learn. “Esteban is 28, so he is still very young, and then he has achieved podiums and a lot of points. However, I think he still has a lot to improve,” he added.
Ayao Komatsu explained why he strongly wanted Ocon alongside Bearman for 2025: “I wanted someone still young, but experienced at the same time. Esteban is 28, so he is still very young, and then he has achieved….”
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Haas https://t.co/XXNs9mtPFp pic.twitter.com/9FYSG24069— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) February 11, 2025
The #31 driver will be expected to develop his own race craft whilst imparting his much-needed wisdom to Bearman. So, while Ocon will be the older driver in the team, it will take some time before he is considered a de facto leader within the squad.
Moreover, the Frenchman is not the kind of driver, who may completely overturn a team’s fortunes. Haas know that they aren’t getting the Charles Leclerc or Max Verstappen-level of pedigree in Ocon. Nevertheless, they will expect him to tap into his decent amount of experience at the front of the midfield to bolster their overall performance.
Naturally, Haas will be proud to have a Grand Prix winner with their team for the first time. But Ocon’s past might come with some baggage that could prove counterproductive to what Komatsu wants to achieve with the team.
Will Ocon play nice with Bearman at Haas?
In the past, Ocon has had trouble keeping cordial relations with his teammates. Last year, he almost caused a double DNF with Pierre Gasly at the Monaco GP. Even during his days with Racing Point (erstwhile Force India) in 2017-18, he had frequent run-ins with his teammate, Sergio Perez.
Most infamously, though, his two-year stint with Fernando Alonso at Alpine eventually led to the #14 driver thanking his lucky stars that he was leaving the Enstone-based team after the 2022 season. After Ocon crashed into him at the 2022 Brazilian GP, Alonso was quoted as saying, “It’s one more race and then it’s over. Finally”.
While Ocon has a gem of a personality off the track, his aggressive maneuvers on the track don’t help him build trust with his teammates. Perez and Alonso have bitter firsthand experiences of the same.
Naturally, there are many question marks surrounding the upcoming dynamic between Bearman and Ocon. Having said that, Bearman is a rookie and Ocon might share a different bond with the British prodigy.
