Esteban Ocon confirms 'free agent' status as Haas F1 doubts grow

Esteban Ocon has declared he is a “free agent” for 2027 as doubts grow over his F1 future with Haas.

Ocon joined the American squad last year and enjoyed a positive start to life at the team with a fifth-place result at the Chinese Grand Prix.

However, the 2026 campaign has been a challenging period for Ocon and Haas, with the Frenchman bagging two top-10 finishes in the 14 rounds staged so far.

Speculation has mounted in recent times that Ocon could be facing an exit from Haas for the 2027 season.

RacingNews365 understands that F2 title challenger Rafael Camara is the favourite for the seat alongside Oliver Bearman next year.

Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Ocon added further fuel to the fire when the subject arose in conversation.

“At the moment, I'm definitely a free agent for next year,” Ocon told media including RacingNews365.

“There are things in discussion that are out of my control. 

“There are certain topics that are out of my control. So, I will keep pushing until the end of the year and see how it goes.”

When asked if being labelled as a free agent meant that he is talking with other teams, Ocon said: “Of course.”

Ocon has noted on several occasions this year that he has struggled with the consistency of his car's handling.

However, he maintained that he has put in respectable performances and that “whatever car I got, I will get 100 per cent out of it.”

The 30-year-old was then quizzed as to if Haas remains an option for 2027, to which he replied: “Let's see.”