Esteban Ocon’s shock Haas exit follows months of mounting tension says Chandhok

Karun Chandhok believes whatever sparked Haas’ decision to abruptly drop Esteban Ocon for the Mexican Grand Prix had been “building up” for some time.

Haas announced ahead of Saturday’s third practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix that Ocon would take no further part in the weekend. Haas reserve and endurance racer Ryo Hirakawa was confirmed as his replacement.

Esteban Ocon’s sudden removal from the Haas team in Mexico

While no official reason has been offered for Ocon being stood down, a Haas spokesperson did confirm to PlanetF1.com that the development was not due to illness.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu was tight-lipped when he spoke with Sky Sports during FP3.

“Yeah, I can’t tell you much, but at least I can tell you that he’s not ill,” Komatsu said. “That much I can tell you.”

But while French publication L’Équipe reported that a meeting between Ocon and Komatsu had ended abruptly, alleging “a possible physical altercation” had occurred, what can be confirmed is that Ocon and race engineer Laura Mueller had a testy exchange in FP2.

Ocon had been put on the medium tyres, but wanted to run the softs.

“We have to do the medium,” Mueller explained to the driver.

“No, no, I wanted the soft, don’t do that to me. Come on,” the Frenchman pushed back.

Ocon has denied that there was anything more than a “difference in viewpoints” that had led to “a discussion with the parties involved.

“Whilst I acknowledge that this took place, I categorically reject any reports or allegations suggesting that any form of physical violence was used to resolve any differences of any nature.”

Chandhok believes that may have been the final action after months of speculation of tension that between Ocon and Komatsu.

Back in May already, Ocon and Komatsu both denied rumours of a fallout, the latter calling it “baseless nonsense”.

Speaking on Sky Sports during Saturday’s covered from Mexico, Chandhok said: “What Haas can say is that he is not being replaced because of any illness so we can put two and two together and come to the conclusion that the fallout carried on into the debrief and whatever discussions there were later on and the team have decided to stand him down.

“From my opinion, I get you are trying to learn whatever you can from FP2 and gain information for the race but that is not necessarily worth the battle with your team. I think you have to be smart picking your battles.

“If you look at the tyre choice itself, in a normal situation I don’t think a driver would care as much but in the situation he is in, knowing he has been dropped for next year, he is fighting for a drive.

“That is where the frustration has come from and why it has blown up into a situation we haven’t seen for a long time, if ever.

“We can deduce this is a pretty volatile environment that’s gone on.

“I don’t think this is a one-off. I think this has been building up ever since the rumours started of him being replaced, and then he actually got replaced.”

More on Esteban Ocon

His fellow pundit David Croft also pointed to a strained relationship between Ocon and Komatsu.

“We don’t know an awful lot. Haas are being tight-lipped,” he said.

“But talking behind the scenes, the relationship between Esteban and the team for obvious reasons hasn’t been magnificent in recent races.

“He’s being replaced by Rafael Camara next season, the young Brazilian leading F2 currently.

“He wasn’t happy with the tyre allocation runs yesterday. We can put two and two together and make four on this one and say that has got something to do with it, and his reaction to what the team were asking him.

“It’s a real shame because Esteban Ocon is a fine driver.”

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