Formula 1 in Belgium - Hülkenberg's Haas-Team signs Ocon as new driver
The Frenchman Esteban Ocon will be the second regular driver for the Formula-1 team Haas starting from 2025. The US team announced Ocon's signing before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Ocon will reportedly sign a multi-year contract. He will be Haas' teammate of Nico Hülkenberg's (36), who will drive for Kick Sauber next season and join Audi's factory team a year later.
Hülkenberg's replacement as Haas' second driver is still unknown.
"It was important for me that we have a driver with racing experience in Formula 1, and Esteban fits that profile perfectly," team owner Gene Haas explained. Ocon commented on his move: "I will be joining a very ambitious team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable growth trajectory really impressed me."
Haas team principal was once Ocon's race engineer
Ocon made his Formula 1 debut for the then Manor team in 2016. He joined Force India and Renault in 2021, but did not receive a new contract from Alpine.
"I have known his talent for a long time, and our personal history goes back to Esteban's first race in a Formula-1 car - I was his race engineer at Lotus," Haas team principal Guillaume Éric (Ayao Komatsu) recalled. "The experience he brings, not only based on his own talent but also from working for a factory team, will be an asset in our growth as an organization."
- Nico Hülkenberg, currently set to drive for Kick Sauber in the upcoming season, will be followed by Stephan Ocon at Haas the following year, as he joins Audi's factory team.
- During the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, it was announced that Stephan Ocon would become the second regular driver for the Formula-1 team Haas starting from 2025.
- Gene Haas, the team owner of Haas, highlighted the importance of Ocon's racing experience in Formula-1, commenting that he fits the team's profile perfectly.
- The Haas team principal, Guillaume Éric (Ayao Komatsu), has a long-standing personal history with Ocon, having been his race engineer during Ocon's debut at Lotus in Formula-1.
- Stephan Ocon made his Formula-1 debut for the then Manor team in 2016 and later joined Force India and Renault before being replaced at Alpine in 2021.
