An attention-grabbing sample has emerged amid the fixed ebb-and-flow of the System 1 driver market, the place the busyness of it adjustments each different yr. So for 2023, for instance, six groups had altered their line-up – most notably attributable to the Oscar Piastri fiasco – earlier than an unchanged grid the next season which marked a primary in F1 historical past.
Huge change was on the playing cards once more for 2025, nevertheless, the ultimate marketing campaign beneath ground-effect rules, in what was little question the craziest market throughout the fashionable period – kickstarted by Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster transfer to Ferrari. The Italian outfit was one in all eight groups to clean up their driver pairings because the grid regarded in the direction of the ruleswitch for 2026, aiming for stability heading into it.
That resulted in simply two squads – each owned by Crimson Bull – making switches alongside Cadillac coming into the championship. However sticking to the rising sample, the soundness this yr has arrange an attention-grabbing panorama for 2027 the place a number of groups are available in the market, having now had as much as a season’s expertise of the brand new rules and understanding who stands the place on this period.
Over half the drivers have their contracts expiring on the finish of 2026 and that features Haas duo Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, and the American outfit is predicted to be a serious participant within the forthcoming ‘foolish season’.
“Round now time, like Might, June, July,” mentioned group boss Ayao Komatsu, when requested for an estimation of when Haas will decide relating to 2027. “I feel everyone’s subsequent yr’s drivers. It’s not simply us, everybody.”
The intrigue at Haas understandably surrounds Ocon, who fiercely denied “bulls**t” rumours heading into last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix that he was set for an early exit. Whereas that will not be true, there isn’t a doubt that his seat is in danger for 2027 having carried out effectively under expectations since becoming a member of in 2025.
Initially, his signing was seen as a serious coup for Haas, having racked up effectively over 100 grand prix begins, a victory and 4 profession podiums, however he has been frustratingly inconsistent and last year put some of his woes down to problems with the VF-25’s braking.
Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Workforce
Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Photographs through Getty Photographs
That doesn’t actually stack up although when one appears at his now sophomore team-mate, who as a rookie completed three factors forward of Ocon. That hole has elevated in 2026 so as an alternative of becoming a member of from Alpine and being that supreme benchmark for Bearman, Ocon has merely been second-best.
Until Ferrari due to this fact makes a shock transfer for its academy graduate, who made his F1 debut with the group as a one-off in 2024, the 21-year-old goes nowhere and it’s only a matter of who can be Bearman’s stablemate in 2027.
So when Komatsu was pressed additional on the topic, being requested if he would maintain each drivers ought to he “resolve right now”, the boss elected to solely concentrate on his grand prix winner.
“I feel a query like that is going to create some s**t, proper?,” mentioned Komatsu. “As a result of then individuals are going to take my phrase and say, ‘oh, Ayao mentioned when you resolve now, you are going to proceed with Esteban, not proceed with Esteban’. They take it utterly out of context, so I am not going to reply that query.”
However what occurred subsequent didn’t precisely assist Ocon’s case, because the 29-year-old as soon as once more completed outdoors of the factors in 14th whereas Bearman snuck in with P10 – granted he was helped by George Russell’s retirement and McLaren’s woes.
Nonetheless, it means Ocon has solely scored one level throughout the opening 5 grands prix of 2026, 17 behind Bearman, who has successfully carried the much-improved Haas to seventh within the championship.
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Workforce
Picture by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
“It was undoubtedly onerous work,” reacted Ocon. “We had an issue with the automobile, undoubtedly, on this race. Not one lap the place I did not handle to not lock, mainly, the entrance tyre.
“Flip 10 was undoubtedly the massive one, however I went off, I feel twice in Flip 8 as effectively throughout the race. We put the replace in qualifying yesterday, we did two laps with it, so it was troublesome to actually see if the whole lot was working effectively, however clearly within the race there was an issue with the automobile.
“So, we’ll attempt to repair it for Monaco and are available again there higher.”
How lengthy Ocon can proceed this mantra of blaming the automobile is an attention-grabbing one, significantly when Bearman is fairly good at accepting his errors and transferring on, although it’s unclear who may change him.
Haas may go down the identical route it did with Bearman by signing a Ferrari teen, which proper now can be the reigning F3 champion, who’s now in F2, Rafael Camara. However there are hesitations throughout the grid about choosing from the junior classes contemplating how completely different the automobiles are.
Reserve driver Jack Doohan may be an choice, particularly when he brings sponsorship cash, however the struggles he endured at Alpine are nonetheless current and is Haas now past the purpose of hiring ‘pay drivers’?
Sure it has one of many smallest budgets on the grid, however its competitiveness has considerably elevated this yr and as a former engineer who has labored with world champions like Fernando Alonso, Komatsu will need two equally robust drivers who’re able to taking the group ahead collectively.
Whether or not Ocon is the best driver for that is still to be seen. However time is operating out for the F1 veteran…
Extra reporting by Ronald Vording
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