Ollie Bearman shares his thoughts on the Haas and Esteban Ocon story just hours before the Mexico City GP.
Oliie Bearman has finally spoken out after reports surfaced about a clash between his Haas teammate Esteban Ocon and team boss Ayao Komatsu. On Saturday, shocking news came out saying that Ocon and Komatsu had a heated argument that might have turned physical, which led to Ocon being pulled out for the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.
Ocon quickly responded with a statement denying any physical fight but admitting there was a difference of opinion within the team. This sparked a reaction from Bearman, too.
Before the Mexico City GP, it was already announced that Ocon wouldn’t be racing for Haas next season, with Rafael Camara set to take his place in 2027. Everyone thought Ocon would still race the last five races of 2026 with Haas, but now that seems uncertain. Test driver Ryo Hirakawa took over Ocon’s spot in Mexico and will start 18th on Sunday, while Bearman is in 14th.
After qualifying, Bearman was asked about what’s going on with Ocon and the team. He said he’s just as unsure as everyone else. “Yeah, of course, I’m stressed about it,” he said. “It’s a really tough situation, and honestly, I don’t know exactly what’s going on. But it’s never good when these things happen.”
With Ocon out, Bearman is now the most experienced driver at Haas, even though he’s 11 years younger than Hirakawa. He takes this role seriously and is helping his new teammate get ready for his first Grand Prix. “I’ve been helping Ryo as much as I can to get him up to speed,” Bearman said. “I’m really happy for him to get his first F1 experience. Watching him in FP3 reminded me of my own early days. It will be a great memory for him, even if it’s in a tough and sad situation.”
When asked what advice he gave Hirakawa, Bearman smiled and said, “Just go for it. Brake at the 50 marker in Turn 1, and give it everything.”
French outlet L’Equipe first reported that the meeting between Ocon and Komatsu ended abruptly and possibly even physically, but didn’t give more details. They had planned to interview Ocon but then canceled it, which just added to the rumors.
In his statement, Ocon said he wanted to clear things up, denying any physical fight. He wrote, “A difference in viewpoints led to a discussion last night. While I admit this happened, I strongly reject any claims of physical violence. I believe disagreements should always be handled with respect and professionalism.” He also asked people to avoid speculation while the situation is being looked into and said more updates would come later.
In the end, we don’t know exactly what went down between Ocon, Komatsu, and the Haas team, but it’s clear the relationship is broken.