Haas F1 Team Principal Defends Esteban Ocon Driver Hire

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu is defending his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon to drive for the Haas F1 Team in 2025.

The move ousts the team's long-standing Danish racer Kevin Magnussen, and pairs current Alpine driver Ocon, 27, with teenage rookie Oliver Bearman next year and beyond.

"I think Esteban has proven what he can do," Komatsu said at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. "He's scored a lot of points and won a race. He's achieved a lot already. Again, his battle with Fernando Alonso was pretty impressive. And he's only 27—he's still got a lot to offer. I think he's got an incredible determination and work ethic."

However, Ocon is regularly involved in highly contentious on-track incidents with his very own F1 teammates—and he even fell out spectacularly with team management at Alpine this year.Many in the paddock see the Frenchman as a driver with a poor reputation for playing the team game.

"It had to be taken into account," Komatsu said. "So I can't say I didn't notice."

Komatsu was then asked specifically about Ocon's clash with Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly in Monaco this year, which preceded speculation that Ocon could be immediately ousted or given an internal race ban.

"It was a serious incident," Komatsu said. "So I talked to him. I still made the decision."

Komatsu suggested it is precisely team management's role to handle the ambitions of highly-competitive athletes. "A lot of it is about transparency, trust and clear boundaries," said Komatsu, 48. "I think the problems arise when the trust between the team and the driver is broken.

"I have been in Formula 1 for a long time. My experience as a race engineer, director of engineering and now team principal is that you need transparency, no personal bias, clear goals, instructions on how to behave during race weekends. If it's discussed in advance with completely transparent communication, there will be trust. I have never had any problems that got out of hand when there is trust.

"So personally I am not worried. If I was worried, I would not have chosen this pairing. Because it is my responsibility to make sure that the two drivers are working in the best interests of our team.

"I have no doubt that Esteban and Ollie will do that."