‘Healthy’ Haas gives Ocon the team he was searching for

Esteban Ocon’s career in F1 has seen its share of turbulence, but the Frenchman believes he has finally landed in the right place.

After years of feeling unheard and undervalued at Alpine, and a turbulent exit from the French outfit, Ocon’s first season with Haas has given him the sense of belonging he craved.

It’s not just about results — though Haas has quietly been punching above its weight in 2025. For Ocon, the real breakthrough is cultural. At Alpine, he often found himself frustrated by problems that never seemed to be addressed. At Haas, by contrast, he says there is accountability, motivation, and genuine collaboration.

Fourteen races into his debut campaign with the American outfitn Ocon is certain: he has found exactly the squad he was searching for in Formula 1.

Alpine’s Frustrations

Just over a year ago, ahead of the sport’s summer break, Ocon was candid about his lingering frustrations with Alpine.

“We haven't always been listened to,” he said at the time. “And this is why some of the issues still remain after five years in this team.”

Today, the 27-year-old contrasts the culture – or lack of – he endured in Enstone with what he’s now experiencing at Haas.

“Compared to my previous experience, it's a healthy environment,” he said, speaking to Motorsport.com.

“As I said, 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.”

This transparency is a game-changer for Ocon, who’s seen the cost of silence.

“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. That's the main thing,” he added.

Motivation and Accountability

Ocon underlined how refreshing it is to find a team motivated at every level under the leadership of its team principal, Ayao Komatsu. At Haas, problems aren’t swept under the rug; they’re dissected and addressed, creating a culture that aligns with Ocon’s all-in approach.

“This team is incredibly motivated,” he said. “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.

“As a driver like me – who puts his heart and sweat into the work, to do everything perfect before I get to the track – when you turn up and you see somebody looking at his check-in on Monday, it's quite tough. And I've seen that in the past.”

Though Haas remains a work in progress, Ocon believes the fundamentals are strong.

“Now, I'm not going to say everything's perfect. There are things that we need to improve, obviously. But, we have a very solid base to work on since I joined, and we are moving forward. And I'm glad with the way it's going.”

Quick Reactions, Big Impact

Ocon’s early days at Haas left him impressed with the team’s agility and responsiveness.

“Designing a steering wheel with a double clutch, it took them a month, which was ridiculous,” he enthused.

“I was incredibly surprised with that, and I've never seen any other team do that, even the big ones that I worked with. Normally it takes a lot of time for that to come.

“We were claimed to be the smallest team. We are. But, you know, some of these reactions are top class.”

Haas’ resilience was tested early in the season after a disastrous showing in Melbourne, where both cars struggled badly. Yet Ocon praised the squad for how it bounced back.

“I was talking to Ayao about many things in the team and I was honestly super impressed about the reaction that they got after that race. No one was hiding,” the Frenchman explained.

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“Everyone came as one, all together as a real team, to try and fix some of the issues that we were having in that first week in Australia.

“And then we arrived in China and we managed to turn things around completely. This is no luck. This is the atmosphere that there is inside this team. There is no hiding behind or pointing to one person.”

Eyes on the Future

While Haas is still fighting in the midfield, Ocon has his sights firmly set on what’s next. The upcoming 2026 regulation reset offers a golden opportunity, and he’s convinced Haas will be ready if given the right tools.

“We just need a faster platform,” Ocon insisted. “Obviously, we'll see what next year brings. And we need to finish this year on a high, also.

“But 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.”

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