Haas tests replacements as Ocon, Bearman futures remain unresolved
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 11, 2026
Ocon future in doubt
Esteban Ocon’s future at Haas has turned uncertain, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season and no extension announced. The French driver said he and Haas have discussed his future in recent weeks, and he added that talks about 2027 are underway. He did not say whether he has spoken with other teams. The uncertainty comes with his results under scrutiny and with Haas looking hard at its options. After 13 rounds, Ocon has scored three of Haas’s points this season. Oliver Bearman has outqualified him 12-6 and outscored him 18-3, a gap that has sharpened the focus on the team’s lineup as Haas weighs its options. Ocon also made clear that he does not see the drivers as Haas’s central issue. He said the team should fix the car instead of pointing at the people behind the wheel, a view that puts the pressure back on the garage, the engineering group and the broader operation around the car. The team’s recent results have done little to calm the situation. Haas is on a seven-race scoreless streak, and that run matches its joint-worst stretch since 2021. With both Ocon and Bearman still carrying unresolved futures for 2027, the team enters a period where every performance detail gets weighed against long-term planning.
Haas car issues
Ocon says Haas needs to solve its car problems before it looks anywhere else for blame. He pointed to inconsistent car parts on the VF-26, saying the package has lacked stability from one run to the next. He also said the Monza aerodynamic upgrades were the only positive change to the car, a comment that underlines how narrow the gains have been in a difficult season. That leaves Haas trying to find performance while also sorting out the future of both of its drivers. Ocon said he and Bearman can extract performance when the car is in a healthy state, a reminder that the current results do not tell the whole story about either driver’s speed. Even so, the performance gap remains part of the debate. The contrast has fed the broader debate over where Haas should direct its attention. Ocon made his view plain. He said the drivers are not the problem, and he said the team should focus on improving the machine in front of them. He also said Haas’s TPC program is important because it brings in revenue, another sign that he sees value in the team’s development structure even as the race car itself continues to struggle. For Haas, the challenge is simple to state and hard to solve. It needs a more consistent car, more consistent points and a clearer sense of where Ocon fits in the future.
Haas replacement tests
Haas has already started testing its alternatives. The team recently held a three-day TPC test with three possible replacements, a clear sign that it is preparing for every outcome as the driver market shifts around it. Rafael Camara emerged as the leading candidate after outperforming Bearman’s benchmark, which gives Haas a concrete name to assess as it studies its next move. That development puts added pressure on both current drivers, even as their futures for 2027 remain unresolved. The situation is especially sensitive because it is not limited to one seat. The two-seat question leaves Haas balancing immediate performance against long-range planning, all while its current form continues to lag. The recent test suggests the team is moving with urgency. The unresolved futures of Ocon and Bearman, plus Camara’s strong showing, leave Haas with choices to make before the next phase of its lineup plans comes into focus.
