Ocon joins Haas for 2025

Haas has signed Esteban Ocon to a multi-year contract – the 27-year-old Frenchman set to change into the primary grand prix race winner to drive for the American outfit since its debut in 2016.

Ocon, who additionally debuted in System 1 in 2016, savoured the highest step of the rostrum profitable the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for Alpine.

With 146 profession begins in System 1, Ocon has competed for Manor Racing, Drive India, Renault and Alpine – amassing 425 factors with three podium finishes to his credit score, together with his Hungarian Grand Prix triumph. 2022 marked Ocon’s strongest end within the Drivers’ Championship inserting eighth general by season’s finish. He at the moment holds three prime 10 finishes within the 2024 FIA System 1 World Championship with tenth place finishes in Miami, Canada and Spain respectively.

Ocon’s first style of System 1 was a 2014 take a look at with the Lotus F1 Workforce, at the moment Alpine, driving the E20 at Circuit de Valencia – engineered that day by none-other than Ayao Komatsu – now Workforce Principal at Haas.

At this time’s information signifies that the one seats nonetheless to be crammed at these at Mercedes, Alpine, Williams and Stake (Sauber), although RB has but to verify its line-up after which, in fact, the doable emptiness at Pink Bull.

The present drivers nonetheless with out seats are Carlos Sainz, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou, whereas Daniel Ricciardo has but to be confirmed.

At Williams, James Vowles has made no secret of the truth that they’re wanting elsewhere, with Ocon a type of drivers beforehand linked with the Grove outfit.

It’s anticipated that in the course of the summer time break, when consideration is much less focussed on the game, each Pink Bull and Williams might make modifications forward of the second a part of the season.

“I am delighted we have secured Esteban Ocon’s companies for Haas,” mentioned Komatsu. “I’ve clearly been conscious of his skills for a very long time and our private historical past dates again to Esteban’s maiden run in a System 1 automobile – I used to be his race engineer that day with Lotus. He displayed his skills again then coming off the again of robust performances within the junior classes – he’d simply received the 2014 European System 3 Championship. Esteban’s gone on to change into a longtime expertise in System 1 and naturally a grand prix winner. The expertise he brings, not simply from his personal expertise base but additionally from working for a producer crew, might be advantageous to us in our development as a corporation. It was very important we had a driver with expertise in beside Oliver Bearman subsequent yr, however Esteban’s solely 27 – he is nonetheless younger with rather a lot to show as effectively. I believe we’ve a hungry, dynamic driver pairing and I look ahead to welcoming Esteban into MoneyGram Haas F1 Workforce for 2025.”

“It was necessary to me that we’ve a driver with a identified pedigree in System 1, and as a grand prix winner, Esteban undoubtedly suits that transient,” added Gene Haas. “Esteban’s proved himself within the groups he is raced for as somebody who’s frequently within the combine and scoring factors – it is that continuity we’re eager to capitalize on as we search for elevated efficiency beneficial properties on-track. We now have a mix of youth and expertise in our future driver line-up and I am excited to see the outcomes.”

“I’m thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my System 1 profession and be a part of Haas from the beginning of the 2025 season,” mentioned Ocon. “I will be becoming a member of a really bold racing crew, whose spirit, work ethic, and simple upward trajectory has actually impressed me. I would prefer to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for his or her belief and assist, and for our trustworthy and fruitful discussions these previous few months. On a extra private word, I am very comfortable to be working with Ayao once more, as he is been part of my debut after I first stepped right into a System 1 automobile throughout my Lotus Junior days greater than ten years in the past.

“Haas has thrilling plans and clear targets for the longer term, and I am very a lot wanting ahead to working with everybody in Kannapolis, Banbury and Maranello, and being a part of this nice venture.”