Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu has openly admitted that the team “expected more” from Esteban Ocon during the 2025 Formula 1 season, acknowledging that the French driver’s debut campaign with the American outfit fell short of expectations. However, Komatsu remains optimistic about Ocon’s potential and anticipates a stronger contribution in 2026 following constructive discussions over the winter months.

A Clear Path Forward After Winter Talks

Ocon joined Haas in 2025 after a five-year stint with Alpine (formerly Renault), bringing with him over a decade of F1 experience, including a race win and multiple podium finishes. He was paired with rookie Ollie Bearman, who ultimately outperformed Ocon in several key areas — particularly in qualifying, where Bearman held a 14-10 advantage.

Despite the on-track challenges, Komatsu emphasized the importance of mutual understanding established during the off-season. Speaking to select media at the recent Barcelona Shakedown, he highlighted significant progress in team dynamics.

“We’ve had a very good ongoing talk over the winter, preparing for this pre-season, and then we understand each other,” Komatsu said. “He’s totally clear on what our team is expecting of him, and also I’m totally clear on what he needs from the team, so we cleared everything and set everything up before the Barcelona Shakedown, so I’m really happy with that.”

The team principal added that both drivers were providing similar and valuable feedback during testing under the new regulations, which has helped streamline development efforts.

Underwhelming Results But Undoubted Talent

When pressed on whether resource limitations were a factor in their discussions, Komatsu clarified: “No, it’s not just that.” He stressed that from a sporting perspective, no one was satisfied with Ocon’s performance level.

“He’s a teammate against a rookie – yes, an amazing rookie, but nonetheless he’s got 10 years of F1 under his belt. He’s a race winner, he’s a podium finisher, so we expected more from him,” Komatsu said.

The team principal acknowledged that some of the struggles were not solely down to the driver. Issues with car setup, particularly around qualifying comfort, played a role. One notable example was in Baku, where Ocon struggled with braking performance and was significantly off-pace in qualifying — a race where Bearman excelled.

“Yes, Baku happened to be one of Ollie’s strongest circuits, but we didn’t expect Esteban to be so far off,” Komatsu noted.

Fixing the Feedback Loop for Faster Improvements

Komatsu emphasized that Haas failed to diagnose performance issues quickly enough in 2025. He referenced the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, where Ocon was uncompetitive on Friday but delivered a strong performance by Sunday, finishing seventh.

“Look at Abu Dhabi – on Friday he was completely off the pace, but [on Saturday] he was on the pace… that’s the talent he has and that’s the capability he has, and we’ve got to harness that.”

He described the problem as a “snowball effect” caused by multiple small issues compounding over time. The goal for 2026 is to improve the team’s ability to identify and address these problems faster.

“We really have got to get on top of those things quicker because Esteban’s potential is clear… we really need two drivers this year – we needed it last year, but we need more this year.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

Komatsu believes Ocon now has a better grasp of Haas’s operational scale, resource constraints, and working methodology. With improved alignment between driver and team, the hope is that Ocon will translate his proven capabilities into consistent results.

As Haas pushes for progress in the highly competitive midfield, unlocking Ocon’s full potential could be pivotal. The 2026 season represents not just a chance for redemption, but an opportunity for the Frenchman to lead and elevate the team’s performance alongside Bearman.