Esteban Ocon has responded to the frank evaluation of his 2025 System 1 marketing campaign by Haas staff boss Ayao Komatsu – saying he wasn’t stunned to listen to it.
Komatsu stated final week that “we anticipated extra” from the grand prix winner in his debut season with the American outfit, claiming “no person’s happy with Esteban’s sporting end result” in 2025.
That got here after Ocon completed fifteenth within the championship with 38 factors, three factors shy of rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman, who additionally outqualified the veteran (technical points excluded) 17-11.
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These statistics have been no fluke given Ocon’s performances have been inconsistent all year long, whereas Bearman’s outcomes persistently ramped up with fourth in Mexico being the spotlight.
So Ocon accepted Komatsu’s evaluation, particularly as a result of his boss didn’t lay all of the blame at his door, including Haas failed to supply a automobile that the 29-year-old was comfy with.
“It was not likely a shock to see Ayao’s feedback,” stated Ocon throughout this week’s Bahrain pre-season take a look at for 2026.
“We talked loads through the winter, and clearly, it has been an up-and-down season for the entire staff. It hasn’t been very simple. However, while you learn the entire article, you possibly can see that the staff has taken accountability as nicely – Ayao stated it was 50-50.”
Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Staff
Picture by: Lars Baron / LAT Photos through Getty Photos
A part of the rationale for Ocon’s underwhelming marketing campaign was him being sad with how the VF-25 behaved, significantly beneath braking, and he thinks these points have been particular to him.
“I stated it many occasions final yr for 12, 13, 14 races, I had this challenge of front-locking, this challenge of instability,” he added. “That is one thing that was very totally different on the opposite aspect of the storage.
“It is not a matter of confidence or simply not managing to drive the type of driving type. It was comparable stress on the brakes, comparable situation throughout the 2 automobiles – locking for me, not on the opposite aspect.”
The Frenchman due to this fact thinks his turnaround on the season finale highlighted what he’s nonetheless able to. He struggled on Friday, claiming he “felt like a rookie”, earlier than set-up adjustments resulted in him reaching Q3, outqualifying Bearman, and leaping up a spot to take seventh.
“That was the case till Friday in Abu Dhabi,” stated Ocon of his points. “No matter we modified in Abu Dhabi, I am not going to enter element as a result of that is right down to us inside, however no matter we modified, all of a sudden the automobile got here again to life.
“I used to be half a second away from the place I ought to be on Friday, after which on Saturday morning we carried out the best way we should always. Nice Q3, completed seventh within the race, which is what we wanted for the entire season.
“So, we’re working all collectively, at all times attempting to do one of the best. There are issues that we missed as a staff, general, and that we should always have achieved higher. I am anticipating that all of us try this this yr and we put, clearly, final yr behind.”
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