Haas Confirms Ocon Departure, Câmara to Race in São Paulo
Haas has officially ended Esteban Ocon’s tenure, with Rafael Câmara set to occupy his seat for this weekend’s Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix.
Ocon’s immediate future had already been called into question after Haas made the surprise choice to release the Frenchman before last weekend’s event in Mexico City, with Ryo Hirakawa stepping in as his replacement.
Both the team and the driver have maintained silence since then, with scant information emerging regarding the specifics of Friday’s events last weekend, as reports point to a disagreement of some nature.
Ocon’s chances of returning for the Brazilian Grand Prix appeared slim, and Haas has now officially confirmed that the Frenchman will be absent for the remainder of 2026.
While Camara is confirmed for the São Paulo event, it remains unclear whether he will continue racing beyond Brazil.
In its official statement, Haas confirmed that the details surrounding the catalyst for the split between Ocon and Haas will remain private.
Full statement from Haas
November 3, 2026 – TGR Haas F1 Team can confirm that Esteban Ocon will no longer compete on its behalf in the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
Rafael Câmara will now partner Ollie Bearman in the team at the São Paulo Grand Prix – hosted at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil, 6-8 November 2026 – Round 20 of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
Câmara (21), the current FIA Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship points-leader, will make his Formula 1 debut on home soil this year having last month been announced as one of TGR Haas F1 Team’s full-time driver signings for the 2027 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
A member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, Câmara’s first on-track experience with TGR Haas F1 Team came through his participation in a Testing of Previous Car (TPC) test in August, when he drove the team’s VF-25 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal.
Quote from Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal – TGR Haas F1 Team:
“We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season. Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City – but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward. The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations. Looking ahead, we’ve chosen Rafael Câmara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the São Paulo Grand Prix. Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafa’s capabilities and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and working with him through his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil.”
