News Summary
- Esteban Ocon has been removed from a scheduled Formula 1 Grand Prix for the second time in less than two years, after Haas replaced him with Ryō Hirakawa in Mexico.
- Alpine previously dropped Ocon from the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, promoting Jack Doohan before the end of the Frenchman’s contract.
- Unlike the Alpine decision, Haas has not explained the reason for Ocon’s withdrawal, although the team has ruled out illness and confirmed the change applies to the Mexican GP weekend.
Esteban Ocon has suffered another unexpected interruption to his Formula 1 career after Haas withdrew him from the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, marking the second time in less than two years that a team has removed the Frenchman from a race he was originally scheduled to contest. The decision echoes the circumstances surrounding his departure from Alpine in December 2024, when the French manufacturer replaced him with Jack Doohan for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The similarities are particularly striking because both decisions came after Ocon’s departure from the respective teams had already been announced. However, the circumstances behind the two substitutions are different: Alpine confirmed that its 2024 move was connected to an early release allowing Ocon to test for Haas, while the American team has not disclosed why it replaced him with Hirakawa in Mexico.
Haas unexpectedly removes Ocon midway through Mexican GP weekend
Haas announced on Saturday (31) that Ocon would take no further part in the Mexico City Grand Prix, despite having completed Friday’s second practice session.
The Frenchman had returned to the cockpit for FP2 after reserve driver Hirakawa participated in the opening session as part of the team’s planned young-driver programme.
Ocon finished 13th in FP2 and subsequently discussed the adjustments required to improve the VF-26 before Saturday’s final practice and qualifying.
There had been no indication in Haas’s Friday report that the Frenchman would be withdrawn from the remainder of the event.
However, the team unexpectedly confirmed that Hirakawa would replace Ocon for FP3, qualifying and Sunday’s race.
The decision was subsequently approved by the FIA, which authorised the Japanese driver to use car number 50 while retaining the engine and tyre allocations assigned to Ocon’s original entry.
Haas confirmed that the Frenchman’s absence was not related to illness but provided no further explanation.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu also denied reports that the decision followed a disagreement with Ocon.
The substitution currently applies only to the Mexican Grand Prix, leaving the driver’s participation in the remaining rounds unresolved.
Alpine also dropped Ocon before 2024 Abu Dhabi finale
The previous episode occurred in December 2024, when Alpine decided to replace Ocon with Jack Doohan for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Frenchman had already been confirmed as a Haas driver for 2025, while Alpine had selected Doohan to partner Pierre Gasly the following season.
However, Ocon was still expected to complete the 2024 championship with Alpine before joining his new team.
That plan changed after the Qatar Grand Prix, when Alpine announced that Doohan would make his Formula 1 race debut one round earlier than originally scheduled.
The Australian was assigned Ocon’s car for Abu Dhabi, allowing him to gain experience before his first full season in 2025.
Alpine explained that the arrangement would also permit Ocon to be released from his contract early enough to participate in the post-season test with Haas.
The test took place at Yas Marina on the Tuesday following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ocon therefore missed the final race of his Alpine career but was allowed to begin working with Haas ahead of the 2025 season.
Ocon learned of Alpine decision shortly before Qatar race
Although Alpine presented the substitution as a mutually beneficial arrangement, subsequent reporting revealed that the process had been more complicated.
Ocon was informed of Alpine’s intention to replace him only hours before the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, following a meeting with executive adviser Flavio Briatore.
The report indicated that Ocon’s participation in the post-season Haas test was linked to his agreement to step aside for Abu Dhabi.
Alpine had not yet formally authorised his release for the test, despite an understanding between the teams that the Frenchman would be allowed to drive for his new employer.
The situation placed Ocon in a difficult position because refusing the early substitution could have jeopardised his preparations for 2025.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff subsequently acknowledged that contractual discussions had taken place concerning the driver’s early release.
Ocon also made clear that he had hoped to finish his Alpine career differently.
The Frenchman had prepared a special helmet for his final race with the team, but never had the opportunity to use it in competition.
The episode brought an abrupt end to his five-season association with the Enstone-based organisation, which began when the team was still competing under the Renault name in 2020.
Ocon’s Alpine exit followed difficult 2024 season
The decision to replace Ocon came after a challenging final season with Alpine, marked by tensions between the Frenchman and teammate Pierre Gasly.
One of the most significant incidents occurred at the Monaco Grand Prix, where the two drivers collided on the opening lap.
Ocon attempted to overtake Gasly at Portier, but the manoeuvre resulted in contact and launched his car into the air.
The damage forced Ocon to retire, while Gasly continued.
Then-team principal Bruno Famin publicly criticised the incident, describing the consequences as unacceptable.
The collision intensified speculation about Ocon’s future, although the team subsequently maintained that its driver decisions would be based on a broader assessment of the season.
Alpine eventually confirmed that Ocon would leave at the end of 2024, with Haas announcing him as part of its new driver line-up alongside Oliver Bearman.
Despite the difficult relationship, Ocon still delivered one of Alpine’s strongest results of the year.
He finished second at the rain-affected São Paulo Grand Prix, completing a double podium for Alpine alongside Gasly, who finished third.
The result helped the French team make a significant jump in the Constructors’ Championship.
Haas’s 2026 decision comes after Ocon loses seat to Câmara
The circumstances surrounding Ocon’s second unexpected replacement are different, but his longer-term future had again been decided before the incident.
Haas confirmed in September that Ocon would leave the team at the end of the 2026 season, bringing his two-year spell with the American organisation to a close.
The team subsequently announced Rafael Câmara as his replacement for 2027, with Bearman remaining in the other race seat.
Câmara earned his promotion after winning the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship and the 2025 FIA Formula 3 title.
The Brazilian has 62 calculated super licence points, comfortably exceeding the FIA’s 40-point minimum.
However, Haas had not announced any intention to remove Ocon before the end of the current season.
The Frenchman therefore travelled to Mexico expecting to continue his regular programme.
His sudden withdrawal after FP2 created uncertainty about whether he would return for the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 8.
Unlike Alpine’s 2024 decision, which was formally connected to an early contract release, Haas has not confirmed any contractual change or permanent alteration to its driver line-up for the remaining races.
Two unexpected substitutions, two different circumstances
The two episodes share several similarities but should not be treated as identical.
In both cases, Ocon had already been informed that he would not remain with his team for the following season.
Both teams also promoted a replacement driver before the originally expected end of Ocon’s participation.
However, Alpine’s decision took place between Grands Prix and was formally linked to the driver’s move to Haas.
The 2026 Haas substitution occurred during an active race weekend, after Ocon had already completed Friday practice.
Ocon’s two unexpected F1 race replacements
| Season | Team | Grand Prix | Replacement | Confirmed explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Alpine | Abu Dhabi | Jack Doohan | Early release to allow Ocon to test for Haas |
| 2026 | Haas | Mexico City | Ryō Hirakawa | No reason disclosed; illness ruled out |
In 2024, Doohan’s early debut was already connected to Alpine’s plans for the following season.
In 2026, Hirakawa was serving as Haas’s reserve driver and had been scheduled only for an FP1 appearance before being promoted for the rest of the weekend.
Neither case establishes that Ocon was removed because of a disciplinary sanction.
Ocon’s São Paulo GP participation remains uncertain
The immediate question concerns whether Haas intends to restore Ocon to the cockpit for the São Paulo Grand Prix.
The Brazilian race takes place on November 8, one week after Mexico.
Hirakawa, meanwhile, is scheduled to compete for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship finale at Monza on the same weekend.
The Japanese driver shares the Toyota #8 with Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley, and the trio are fighting for the WEC Drivers’ Championship.
That scheduling conflict could complicate Haas’s plans if the team intends to continue without Ocon.
Another possible option would be Câmara, who has already been confirmed as a Haas race driver for 2027.
However, Haas has not announced Câmara for the São Paulo Grand Prix, and any early debut would require the appropriate FIA authorisation.
The team has also not confirmed that Hirakawa will remain in the car beyond Mexico.
The FIA’s approval of the Japanese driver’s participation applies only to the current Grand Prix weekend.
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