Esteban Ocon could be in his final days in Formula 1. Since the season began, paddock rumors have circulated about a possible departure of the French driver from Haas in mid-season, and what everyone expects is that Ocon will not remain in 2027. Behind his replacement there is a whole geopolitical battle.
As a Ferrari-associated team, Maranello’s outfit would have a preference when it comes to recommending Ocon’s replacement. The problem is that Toyota is increasingly influential within Haas, and also wants to impose its criteria. To make matters worse, McLaren is also testing the waters to place its youngest rising star.
Rafael Câmara, Ferrari’s Favorite to Step Up to Haas
It’s no secret around the world that Esteban Ocon will not remain with Haas next season. Although the Frenchman dismisses the rumors as “nonsense” and boasts of having “the team’s and Ayao Komatsu’s trust,” the reality is that his results are quite poor: in 2025 he already lost to rookie Oliver Bearman, and in 2026 he also trails 18-3.
The battle to fill Haas’s second seat for 2027 is already underway. Ferrari is the engine supplier and historic partner of the American team, so they have already proposed their candidate to climb into Haas. It is the Brazilian Rafael Câmara, 21 years old, who currently competes in Formula 2 and is considered Maranello’s great jewel.
The problem is that Bearman, the other Haas driver, is already part of Ferrari’s academy, and Maranello can’t promote him to the F1 team as Charles Leclerc has just renewed and the future of Lewis Hamilton seems increasingly tied to Ferrari.
Y es precisamente aquí donde entra en juego Toyota, la otra pata del banco de Haas. Desde hace casi dos años los japoneses son socios de Haas y cada vez desplazan más a Ferrari. A nadie se le escapa que Toyota está testando el terreno para quedarse con el equipo en un futuro próximo, regresando así de pleno derecho a la Fórmula 1.
Pues bien, Toyota también tendría su candidato para subirse al Haas que deje libre Ocon. Y no es otro que Yuki Tsunoda, antiguo piloto de Honda que estaría dispuesto a completar la gran traición japonesa si fichar por Toyota le garantizase volver a la Fórmula 1. Por si fuese poco, hay un tercer candidato para el asiento.
Y es que mientras Ferrari y Toyota se pelean, McLaren ya ha dado un paso. Leo Fornaroli, campeón de la Fórmula 2 y perla de la cantera de Woking, ya ha hecho algún test con Haas, y también aspira al asiento de Ocon. Ayao Komatsu tendrá la última palabra en esta batalla geopolítica a tres bandas por un hueco en la Fórmula 1.
Imágenes | Haas, Fórmula 1
