Haas Secures Ocon on Multi-Year Contract
Haas has announced the signing of Esteban Ocon from Alpine on a multi-year deal, set to partner rookie Ollie Bearman in the 2025 Formula 1 season. This comes after the recent announcement that Kevin Magnussen will be departing the team at the end of the current season.
Ocon: A Proven Talent Joining Haas
Esteban Ocon, 27, brings a wealth of experience to Haas, having competed in 146 career starts with teams such as Manor, Force India, Renault, and Alpine. The French driver has accumulated 425 points and three podium finishes, including a memorable victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. Ocon’s signing marks a significant milestone for Haas, as he becomes the first Grand Prix winner to drive for the team since its inception in 2016.
Rekindling Old Partnerships
Ocon’s arrival at Haas also reunites him with Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, who was his race engineer during his first F1 test with Lotus in 2014. Komatsu expressed his excitement about the reunion, stating, “I’ve obviously been aware of his talents for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s maiden run in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer that day with Lotus.”
Komatsu highlighted Ocon’s accomplishments and experience as a key asset for Haas, especially as the team aims for growth and improved performance. “It was vital we had a driver with experience beside Oliver Bearman next year, but Esteban’s only 27 – he’s still young with a lot to prove as well. I think we have a hungry, dynamic driver pairing and I look forward to welcoming Esteban into Haas for 2025,” Komatsu added.
Gene Haas on the Strategic Move
Team owner Gene Haas emphasized the importance of having a proven driver like Ocon to lead the team alongside Bearman. “It was important to me that we have a driver with a known pedigree in Formula 1, and as a Grand Prix winner, Esteban undoubtedly fits that brief,” said Haas. He praised Ocon’s consistency and ability to score points, qualities that the team aims to leverage for better on-track performance in the upcoming seasons.
Ocon’s Enthusiastic Response
Esteban Ocon expressed his enthusiasm about joining Haas, appreciating the team’s ambition and work ethic. “I’ll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me,” Ocon stated. He also expressed gratitude towards Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support during the negotiations.
Ocon fondly recalled his previous work with Komatsu, noting, “On a more personal note, I’m very happy to be working with Ayao again, as he’s been a part of my debut when I first stepped into a Formula 1 car during my Lotus Junior days more than 10 years ago.” He concluded by expressing his eagerness to contribute to Haas’s exciting plans and future targets, looking forward to collaborating with the team’s global operations in Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello.
