Haas to decide 2027 driver line-up within couple of weeks
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Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said the team are evaluating a number of drivers.
PHOTO: AFP
BAKU – American Formula 1 team Haas are evaluating a number of drivers and will finalise their 2027 line-up within the next couple of weeks, team boss Ayao Komatsu said on Sept 24, a day after the team’s under-pressure racer Esteban Ocon declared himself a “free agent”.
“We haven’t made any decision yet,” Komatsu told reporters ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “We are still trying to finalise what we’re going to do for next year.”
Ocon, 30, who joined Haas in 2025 alongside Ferrari-backed Briton Oliver Bearman, said on Sept 23 that he was talking to other teams.
Multiple media reports, meanwhile, have identified Ferrari-supported Brazilian Rafael Camara, currently second in the Formula 2 standings, as favourite to replace him.
Komatsu confirmed that Camara, 2025 F2 champion and McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, Toyota-backed Japanese racer Ryo Hirakawa and the team’s current reserve Jack Doohan were all options Haas could choose from, with the team having run them in private tests in older cars.
“If that wasn’t the option, why do we test?” said Komatsu.
“We’ve done all the evaluations, so we’re just waiting to summarise our findings, have a discussion internally, have a chat with (team owner) Gene (Haas), and then we’ll take the final decision.”
When asked if keeping Ocon was still an option, Komatsu answered: “Yes. Like I said, we haven’t made any decisions yet.”
Responding to Ocon’s “free agent” comment, Komatsu said: “Every driver has, let’s say, a certain closing point in the year to decide on the option.
“It just means that we haven’t decided on that option yet, but that was quite a long time ago.
“So his situation hasn’t really changed.”
Ocon will start 14th on the grid in the Sept 26 race, two spots above Mercedes’ F1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who crashed into the wall at Turn One during the opening phase of qualifying.
His teammate George Russell took pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the Baku City Circuit, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar third and fourth respectively. REUTERS