On Thursday, Haas and Esteban Ocon made it official.
The team and the driver announced that they have come to terms on a contract that will see Ocon join Haas on a “multi-year” deal.
“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,” said Ocon in the team’s announcement. “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.”
Ocon noted that working with Komatsu, the Haas Team Principal, is something of a reunion for the two.
“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 ten years ago,” added Ocon. “MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 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.”
Komatsu noted that history as well.
“I’m delighted we’ve secured Esteban Ocon’s services for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” stated 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. He displayed his talents back then coming off the back of strong performances in the junior categories – he’d just won the 2014 European Formula 3 Championship. Esteban’s gone on to become an established talent in Formula 1 and of course a grand prix winner.”
The move was speculated in recent weeks, following the announcement that Ocon and his current team, Alpine, were parting ways at the end of the 2024 season. That made the veteran Ocon one of the options for teams with a spot on the grid next season, which included Haas.
Ocon will now be placed in something of a mentorship role, as the team already confirmed that young Oliver Bearman will be their other driver next season. Bearman is currently a reserve at both Ferrari and Haas and made a stunning debut earlier this season when Carlos Sainz Jr. was sidelined at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to an appendectomy. Bearman slid into Sainz’s Ferrari and after just one hour of practice time he qualified 11th, just missing out on a spot in Q3.
He then worked into the points in the Grand Prix and finished seventh, holding off both Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton over the closing laps to score points in his debut.
Komatsu made a point to mention Ocon’s mentorship role, but also noted that at 27 Ocon still has some things to prove in the sport.
“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. 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,” added Komatsu. “I think we have a hungry, dynamic driver pairing and I look forward to welcoming Esteban into MoneyGram Haas F1 Team for 2025.”
Team Owner Gene Haas pointed to Ocon’s status as one of the Grand Prix winners on the grid.
“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,” said Haas. “We have a blend of youth and experience in our future driver line-up and I’m excited to see the results.”
The announcement of Ocon to Haas also means that both of their current drivers will be driving elsewhere next season. Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Nico Hülkenberg announced he was heading to Sauber next season, before that team becomes the Audi works operation in 2026. Kevin Magnussen, the team’s other driver, was already confirmed to be leaving the team following the season.
However, the game of F1 driver musical chairs is coming to a close, and there are fewer and fewer seats left.
