Ocon under threat: could we see another mid-season driver change in 2026?

Formula 1 has always been a sport where margins are razor-thin and patience runs short. Mid-season driver changes — brutal as they are — remain one of the sport's most ruthless tools, and in 2026, Esteban Ocon may be the next to feel their full force.

A Pattern of Brutal Mid-Season Calls

The 2025 season served as a stark reminder of just how unforgiving the grid can be. Liam Lawson lasted only two races with Red Bull before being replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, though he at least retained a place on the grid with Racing Bulls. Jack Doohan was afforded just six races with Alpine before Franco Colapinto took his seat — and unlike Lawson, the Australian found himself without any F1 drive at all. It was the final mid-season change of a turbulent 2025 campaign, but history may be about to repeat itself.

Ocon's Difficult Start at Haas

Having joined Haas from Alpine ahead of the 2026 season, Esteban Ocon arrived with a point to prove. His 2025 campaign had already been compromised by being outperformed by rookie teammate Ollie Bearman — a result that set the tone for growing internal concern. Yet 2026 has offered little sign of the recovery Haas were hoping for.

To date, Ocon has managed just one point compared to Bearman's 17, a gap that is difficult to explain away and increasingly difficult for team principal Ayao Komatsu to tolerate. The relationship between the two is reportedly deteriorating, with things coming to a head at the Miami Grand Prix, where Ocon again failed to score.

Journalist Julianne Cerasoli, speaking to UOL Esporte, was unambiguous in her assessment: "Well, Komatsu doesn't like Ocon — clearly doesn't like him — and isn't happy with what he's doing. I've even heard that, well, I don't know if Ocon will finish the season. So just to be clear, Ocon's situation isn't looking good at all in there, no."

With the 2026 F1 driver market already in full swing, Ocon's uncertain status at Haas adds yet another compelling subplot to what is shaping up to be one of the most turbulent silly seasons in recent memory.

Who Could Replace Ocon If Haas Pull the Trigger?

Should Haas decide to act, they would not be short of options — and some of them are already within arm's reach of the team.

Jack Doohan, having signed with Haas as a test and reserve driver following his departure from Alpine, is the most immediate candidate. A mid-season switch would hand the Australian a second chance at an F1 race seat — exactly the kind of opportunity that rarely comes twice.

However, Doohan faces competition. Ryo Hirakawa has already been given track time through FP1 appearances with Haas, and his connections to Toyota keep him firmly in the frame for a more prominent role.

There is also the Ferrari pipeline to consider. Haas's technical and commercial ties to the Scuderia open the door to promoting a Formula 2 driver mid-season, with both Rafael Camara and Dino Beganovic having made encouraging starts to the 2026 F2 campaign.

One way or another, pressure is mounting on Ocon. In a sport that has already shown it will not wait for results to come, time may be running short.

A Pattern of Brutal Mid-Season Calls