Seven points. Seven points is all Esteban Ocon scored for Haas across the 2026 Formula 1 season

Seven points. Seven points is all Esteban Ocon scored for Haas across the 2026 Formula 1 season, against 23 for teammate Oliver Bearman — and on Tuesday the American team confirmed the Frenchman will not add to that tally, ruling him out of the final four grands prix of the year. Le Parisien reported that TGR Haas F1 Team announced Ocon will not race for the squad again in the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, with 21-year-old Brazilian Rafael Camara stepping in starting at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos.

The decision formalizes what had already become reality at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Ocon was benched on Saturday after a dispute during Friday’s second free practice session. The team said on X that it “confirms that Esteban Ocon will no longer race for it in the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.”

What happened in Mexico, and how Haas replaced Ocon

The rupture came into public view at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Ocon voiced displeasure with race engineer Laura Mueller after a tire-choice decision during Friday’s second practice session, and French press reports later described an altercation between the driver and team principal Ayao Komatsu. Ocon acknowledged a heated discussion with team members but categorically denied rumors of any physical confrontation. Either way, he was stripped of his seat for the rest of the weekend, and Japanese reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa was called up at short notice — finishing 10th in Mexico and earning a point.

Hirakawa, 32, is not available for Brazil because he is committed to Sunday’s Six Hours of Monza in the WEC, Le Parisien reported, which opened the door for Camara.

Camara’s home debut at Interlagos

Camara will make his Formula 1 debut in front of home fans at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo this weekend, alongside Bearman. The move is not a surprise: Haas announced last month that Camara is one of its two race drivers for the 2027 championship. The 21-year-old currently leads the Formula 2 championship and has been a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021. He already knows Haas’s facilities, having run an August test in the team’s VF-25 at Portimao in Portugal.

Komatsu said the team had informed Ocon he would not return to his race seat this season, adding that such decisions are “never taken lightly” and that the discussions with Ocon remain a private, internal matter. “After excelling in his tests in August, we know his capabilities and we look forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and supporting his Formula 1 debut in the VF-26 in Brazil,” the team principal said.

Why this ends earlier than planned

Ocon had confirmed on Sept. 30 that he would leave Haas at the end of the 2026 season, stating he wanted to continue his F1 career while citing difficult circumstances and factors beyond his control. The 30-year-old Frenchman has not established himself in two seasons with the American team and currently has no seat lined up for 2027, with nearly all available cockpits already filled — though he could remain in the sport as a reserve driver.

What remains on the 2026 calendar

After Sao Paulo, three rounds remain: the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 22, the Qatar Grand Prix on Nov. 19 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Dec. 6, per Le Parisien.