Esteban Ocon admits he feels ‘sad’ looking back over his Formula 1 career

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Esteban Ocon has admitted that he feels ‘sad’ when he reflects on his Formula 1 career heading into 2026.

This season marks the Frenchman’s ninth full year in F1, having joined Manor Racing midway through 2016. It will be his second year at Haas in 2026, and as he alludes to, his career has not played out the way he hoped.

Ocon earned a move to Force India in 2017 and began fighting for regular points. But as the team rebranded to Racing Point in 2018, combined with his long-standing feud with Sergio Perez, he was dropped from the team for Lance Stroll, the son of new owner Lawrence.

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After spending a year on the sidelines with Mercedes, Ocon returned to F1 in 2020 with Renault, scoring his maiden podium at the Sakhir GP. A year later, as the team rebranded to Alpine, he won his only F1 race to date in Hungary.

Since then, he has been back on the podium only twice. Inconsistency, along with Ocon’s poor relationship with teammate Pierre Gasly, led to his exit from Alpine at the end of 2024.

Esteban Ocon feels ‘sad’ he did not have the cars to reach his potential in Formula 1

Joining Haas in 2025, the 29-year-old struggled for consistent results, finishing 15th with 38 points, behind his rookie teammate Oliver Bearman. Reflecting on his career with AutoHebdo, Ocon could not help but feel disappointed.

“I won a race, I made it onto a few podiums, I had results that were pretty good, not bad times and podiums in Monaco and so on, it was incredible,” he said.

“And I was talking about it with my dad not long ago. Actually, I don’t understand anything. I mean, I’m not at all where I want to be in terms of results.

What do you expect from Esteban Ocon in the 2026 F1 season?

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“What drives me is winning races, getting on the podium, fighting for pole positions. I don’t even have a flying position, you see.

“It’s sad, actually, that I’ve never had the equipment to be able to compete at the front of the pack, and I tell myself that by working hard all the time, I’ll get there one day and see this car that will give me, well, the potential to go for more, to go for top 5 finishes in all races, podiums, victories.

“And I still have that dream, I still have it and that’s what drives me every day, working as many hours as I do, getting in the car, giving it my all, taking risks every time, being there, present and 100% committed.”

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Will 2026 be Esteban Ocon’s last in Formula 1?

Ocon is out of contract at the end of the 2026 season. With his lack of results in 2025, he could be among the drivers under the most pressure this season.

In fact, Ocon’s chances of a new contract are dwindling for 2027. If he is beaten by Bearman in 2026, it is hard to imagine Haas wanting to extend his contract.

Juan Pablo Montoya can see Ocon being dropped if his teammate gets the better of him again in 2026. Bearman beat the Frenchman by a small margin in terms of points, but he appeared much more comfortable in the car.

Ralf Schumacher agrees with Montoya that Ocon’s F1 career is on thin ice. The 29-year-old needs to deliver results in the VF-26.