Esteban Ocon of Alpine has signed a multi-year contract with Haas to team rookie Ollie Bearman in 2025.
Haas F1 Team has officially announced the signing of Esteban Ocon for the 2025 season, partnering with young talent Oliver Bearman. The confirmation follows last week’s news of Kevin Magnussen’s departure at the end of the season, paving the way for Ocon’s arrival. The announcement came in Belgium, ahead of the final race before the summer break and at the very track where Ocon made his Formula 1 debut in 2016.
Ocon, with 146 career starts, brings a wealth of experience from his time with teams such as Manor, Force India, Renault, and Alpine. During his career, he has accumulated 425 points, including three podium finishes, one of which was his maiden win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021. This move marks a significant milestone for Haas, as Ocon will become the first Grand Prix winner to race for the team since its inception in 2016.
The French driver shares a history with Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu, who was Ocon’s race engineer during his first F1 test with Lotus in 2014. Komatsu expressed his enthusiasm for Ocon’s signing, recalling the talent he displayed during that initial test and his subsequent rise in the sport. “I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for Haas,” said Komatsu. “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. Esteban’s gone on to become an established talent in Formula 1 and, of course, a Grand Prix winner. The experience he brings, not just from his own talent base but also from working for a manufacturer team, will be advantageous to us in our growth as an organization.”
Owner Gene Haas echoed these sentiments, highlighting Ocon’s proven track record and the continuity he brings to the team. “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. Esteban’s proved himself in the teams he’s raced for as someone who’s continually in the mix and scoring points – it’s that continuity we’re keen to capitalize on as we look for increased performance gains on-track. We have a blend of youth and experience in our future driver line-up and I’m excited to see the results.”
Ocon himself expressed excitement about joining Haas and reuniting with Komatsu. “I’ll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me. I’d like to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for their trust and support, and for our honest and fruitful discussions these last few months. 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. Haas has exciting plans and clear targets for the future, and I’m very much looking forward to working with everyone in Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello, and being part of this great project.”
This strategic move signifies Haas’s commitment to advancing its performance in the highly competitive world of Formula 1. With Ocon’s experience and Bearman’s youthful potential, the team is poised for a promising future as it aims to climb the ranks and achieve greater success on the track.
