Esteban Ocon transferred to Haas from Alpine for the 2025 F1 season after a difficult season with the French team. The relationship between the driver and team deteriorated during the season, as Ocon and then teammate Pierre Gasly clashed on track, including the infamous incident at Monaco. This left the relationship strained as Ocon and Alpine both agreed it was time for the Frenchman to move on.
Ocon joined Haas and has had a solid first 14 races for the American team. He has scored 27 points and sits tenth in the driver’s championship. The 28-year-old believes that Haas has a better working environment than Alpine, which could help the American outfit challenge the bigger teams next year.
Esteban Ocon praises the motivation of Haas
Haas entered the 2025 season with a new lineup featuring Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman. The team sits ninth in the constructors’ championship, but is only 35 points behind fifth-placed Williams. In contrast, Alpine sits in last place, with only Pierre Gasly able to score points for them.
Ocon told Motorsport.com that Haas has a better working environment than Alpine, and this is helping Haas improve throughout the season. He commented, “Compared to my previous experience, it’s a healthy environment.
“No one’s hiding behind anything. If we don’t do something right, we talk about it and hope not to do it again. And we talk about it straight away at the end of the race. And that’s good, because if you don’t talk about it – which is what I’ve experienced before – then you [are] going to do it again.
BREAKING: Esteban Ocon joins Haas for 2025 on a multi-year deal!#F1 pic.twitter.com/ze4OjjTesE
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 25, 2024
“This team is incredibly motivated. It can sound crazy, but I’ve seen some people not motivated in the past, even working in the Formula 1 paddock. That’s probably the worst thing.”
Haas looks to be moving in the right direction after a few turbulent years at the bottom of the pecking order. In contrast, Alpine looks to be dropping further back from the competition. This season has been a backwards step for the French team, who can’t settle on a teammate for Pierre Gasly.
Jack Doohan failed to score in six races, while his replacement, Franco Colapinto, is still pointless. This is coupled by a poor engine and a car which Gasly has conceded is “just too slow“. A move away from Alpine to join Haas looks like the fresh start Ocon needed to rejuvenate his career.
Esteban Ocon believes that 2026 is looking positive for Haas
Esteban Ocon has had a good season and finished in the points five times in grand prix this term, including a season-high fifth-place finish in China. The 28-year-old believes that if Haas can finish the season on a high, they will take the positivity into next season when the new regulation cycle begins.
He summarised, “Obviously, we’ll see what next year brings. And we need to finish this year on a high, also. We just need a faster platform. If we have a platform to fight higher up, we will be ready to fight the bigger guys, 100%. We just need to have something decent to work on the racetrack, and then we’ll take care of it.”
Using all the track… and more! 💨@OconEsteban‘s grass-cutting overtake on Kimi Antonelli helped the Haas driver secure 10 points 👏#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/jqPQlxpmva
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2025
Next season is anyone’s game. New regulations for the engine and aerodynamics will be enforced by the FIA, meaning it’s a blank slate for all the teams. If Ferrari can get their engine right, and Haas can design a good concept, there is every chance 2026 could be fruitful. Force India had a strong 2014 season using the Mercedes engine, which was the best of the field.
What do you think of Haas’ chances next season? Is their driver lineup strong enough to challenge if their car is good? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
