Esteban Ocon kept in the dark over Haas’ deal with $228 million auto giant
Esteban Ocon was reportedly unaware of the partnership talks between the Haas F1 team and Toyota.
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Ayao Komatsu and Esteban Ocon (via IMAGO)
Esteban Ocon recently signed a multi-year deal with the Haas F1 team amidst their ever-improving pace on the grid. The Frenchman will join the American constructor with hopes of taking them to great success. However, Haas recently unveiled a partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, a development Ocon was reportedly unaware of before the announcement.
Ayao Komatsu revealed that Esteban Ocon, despite recently signing a multi-year deal was completely unaware of Toyota’s partnership talks. The reason for this was that while finalizing Ocon’s deal during the Austrian GP, the talks were still in the premature stage and weren’t solid. The Frenchman was informed that there was a development plan to take the Haas team to greater heights.
I did say to him we have a development plan to take this team forward and to make a reasonable step change, if you like. But the point where I was trying to finalise Esteban’s contract which was around Austria time, it was too early for me to guarantee anything to Esteban.
Ayao Komatsu told planetf1.com
Additionally, Komatsu did not want Ocon to sign with the team under false or misleading pretenses. The Japanese team principal didn’t want to tell the French driver something from which he would have to back down a few months later. Hence, this was the reason that Ocon was kept in the dark about the deal.
I never wanted to tell Esteban something that I cannot guarantee and then he signed from that understanding and then I cannot tell Esteban three months later sorry mate, I couldn’t make it happen.
Ayao Komatsu added
Esteban Ocon joined the Haas F1 team because of the vision of the team’s future
The Haas F1 team has started to perform much better in the 2024 season after achieving the P7 spot in the standings. With Esteban Ocon, the team would only go upwards from 2025 onwards. Hence, Ayao Komatsu believed that Haas’ vision to take the team forward made Ocon sign a multi-year deal.
He signed with the understanding that there’s a vision to take this team forward, and instead of being specific about this technical partnership, I told him how we are planning to develop the team, and then he was very much on board with that idea.
Ayao Komatsu noted
Esteban Ocon will team up with the rookie Oliver Bearman at Haas in the coming season. Both drivers are capable of performing well and are expected to complement each other. When it comes to the technical side, only time will tell how the Toyota deal pans out for the American constructor in Formula 1.
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Aditya Pandya
(1388 Articles Published)