TGR Haas F1 Team announced on 3 November that Esteban Ocon will not race for it again in 2026. At this weekend's São Paulo Grand Prix (6-8 November), 21-year-old Rafael Camara, the current Formula 2 points leader, will make his F1 debut alongside Ollie Bearman. A swap that was planned for 2027 has been pulled forward by a season.
What the team said
Team principal Ayao Komatsu said in a statement: "We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season." He added that "such decisions are never taken lightly, as was the case in Mexico City." The conversations between the team and Ocon "remain an internal matter." The team has only confirmed Camara for São Paulo; the statement does not say who drives in the races after that.
On Camara, Komatsu said: "Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafa's capabilities." TPC (Testing of Previous Car) is a test in an older car; Camara drove the Haas VF-25 at the Algarve circuit in Portimão, Portugal, in August. According to AutoRacing1, he has been a Ferrari Driver Academy member since 2021 and was announced last month as one of Haas's full-time drivers for 2027.
What happened in Mexico
The Race reported that Ocon was unexpectedly benched in the middle of last weekend's Mexican Grand Prix after a reported confrontation with Komatsu on Friday after practice. In FP2, Ocon complained repeatedly over the radio. He had been told to do his longer run on mediums rather than softs, based on what the team had seen on Bearman's tyres. The Race judged that this did not look like a major issue in isolation. It said an attempt to discuss the radio exchange that evening led to a confrontation, and Haas has not commented on what happened.
Some reports, including one in the French newspaper L'Équipe, implied a physical altercation, but The Race noted that Ocon denies there was any physical violence. It said Haas felt a line had been irreversibly crossed. The details of the confrontation come from The Race alone, so they should not be read as confirmed fact.
In Mexico, Ryo Hirakawa, called very early on Saturday morning, stood in and made his F1 race debut. He told Japanese media he got the call at 6.30am. After the restart he passed both Williams cars to take 10th and a point, with penalties for three drivers ahead having helped. The Race called that point potentially crucial in Haas's constructors' fight with Audi.
Why it matters
From Friday's practice this week, Camara will be in Haas's second car. It is his home race, so local interest should be high. None of the reports say where Ocon will race in 2027. Haas is fighting Audi in the constructors' standings late in the season, so a rookie's first Grand Prix is a real test for the team.
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