Ocon has signed a multi-year contract to drive for Haas alongside Oliver Bearman starting in 2025
Finlay McSporran
Published: 10:49, 25th July 2024
“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my Formula 1 career and join MoneyGram Haas F1 Team from the start of the 2025 season,” Ocon said.
“I’ll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me.
“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.
Ocon’s arrival at the team alongside Ferrari F1 prospect Oliver Bearman means that Haas will field an all new driver line-up for the 2025 season.
This comes after weeks of speculation that Ocon would join the team , with fans divided over whether or not this was a good signing for Haas.
Team boss Ayo Komatsu certainly believes so, saying “I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, 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.”
Komatsu was an engineer at Lotus back in 2014 when Ocon made his debut in a F1 car during a test for the team.
“It was vital we had a driver with experience in 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 MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for 2025” , Komatsu said.
But is Ocon really the perfect fit for Haas, or will his tendency to crash with teammates have a negative effect on the team?
Having a rookie alongside him means that Ocon will be the team leader at Haas which should create a more relaxed environment for the French driver, something that was absent during his stint at Alpine alongside fellow Frenchman Pierre Gasly where the two battled for supremacy in the team, with the pair coming together mid-race on multiple ocasions.
On his day however, Ocon is more than capable of extracting the most out of a midfield car which makes him a great replacement for the departing Nico Hulkenberg.
Ocon will also be the first Grand Prix winner to drive for Haas, and with a further 2 podiums and 6 seasons of Formula one experience to his name, he’s certainly a good driver to help Haas continue their upwards trajectory into 2025 and Beyond.
This leaves just 5 seats left in the 2025 driver market, one at Mercedes, RB, Alpine, Williams and Sauber. With Mercedes likely to sign Kimi Antionelli it leaves Sainz to decide between 4 backmarker teams, none of which seem very appealing for a driver that wants to be fighting for at the front.
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