Esteban Ocon has signed a multi-year contract with the Haas team, as confirmed by the American racing stable on Thursday. The Frenchman will become the new teammate of rookie Oliver Bearman, replacing Kevin Magnussen. It was previously announced that the Danish driver would be leaving the team.
Haas team boss, Ayao Komatsu, expressed his delight at securing Esteban Ocon for the team. “I’ve been aware of his talents for a long time, and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s first ride in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer at Lotus that day. Since then, he has become an established name in Formula 1 and, of course, a Grand Prix winner. The experience he brings is crucial for the development of our team.”
Haas Announces New Line-Up for 2025
With the signing of Esteban Ocon, Haas will have a completely new line-up in 2025. Current Haas driver, Nico Hülkenberg, announced in April that he would be moving to Sauber. Haas then announced that Oliver Bearman, currently a reserve driver at Ferrari and active in Formula 2, would replace the German. “It’s extremely important that we put an experienced driver next to Oliver Bearman,” continued Komatsu. “But at the same time, Esteban is only 27 years old – he’s still young and has a lot to prove. I think we have a hungry and dynamic combination of drivers.”
‘Exciting Project’
“I will be joining a very ambitious racing team,” responded Ocon. “I want to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support, and for our honest conversations over the past few months. Haas has clear goals for the future, and I am very much looking forward to working with everyone in Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello, and being part of this exciting project.”
Ocon has been with the French team, Alpine, since 2020. During the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021, the Frenchman had his highlight with the team from Enstone, when he sealed his very first Grand Prix victory. It was also the first victory for Alpine. However, recently, the relationship between Ocon and Alpine has not been going well, leading the team to announce earlier that they did not want to continue with the driver from Évreux.
The Frenchman will replace Kevin Magnussen from 2025. The Dane has been driving for Haas again since 2022, after a brief absence from Formula 1. He became the replacement for the Russian Nikita Mazepin, after the American team failed to score a single point for the constructors’ championship in 2021. Magnussen was hailed as the great savior for Haas, and managed to finish fifth in his first race back behind the wheel. However, in the current season, he cannot compete with Nico Hülkenberg.
