Nico Hulkenberg now reacts to Esteban Ocon replacing him at Haas next season

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The next piece of the driver market puzzle fell into place this week after Esteban Ocon was announced as a Haas driver for the 2025 season.

The Frenchman will pair up with 19-year-old Oliver Bearman next year having spent the last six years at Alpine, with him set to be the first race winner to drive for the American team.

It also means Haas will have an all-new lineup for the first time since 2021, as Kevin Magnussen will leave the team and looks set to make a switch to sportscars while Nico Hulkenberg will move back to Sauber in anticipation on Audi’s arrival in 2026.

According to reports, Haas team owner Gene Haas did not like how Hulkenberg tried to force him into talks for the future. Reacting to the move, Hulkenberg spoke to the media ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and spotted a trend.

Nico Hulkenberg spots a trend with Esteban Ocon move

The 2025 season will be Ocon’s ninth full season in F1 having made his debut in 2016 with Manor. Each of his career moves to other teams have followed Hulkenberg leaving the same team.

In 2017 it was Force India after the German left in 2016 for a move to Renault in 2017, then at Renault in 2019 when Hulkenberg was forced to take a sabbatical before returning full-time with Haas in 2023.

When asked about Ocon’s move by journalist Adam Cooper, Hulkenberg pointed out the trend when asked about his reaction to Ocon making the switch to Haas.

“No real surprises there, that he came here. Third time, he seems to like my groundwork! So I’m sure he will be fine here.”

Esteban Ocon reunites with Ayao Komatsu

The duo of Ocon and Bearman is set to be one of the tallest on the grid, with the former measuring at 1.86m and the Briton 1.84m.

The team noted that it would be a great opportunity for Bearman to learn from the experienced Ocon, who will also be reunited with someone from his days as a Lotus-Renault junior driver.

READ MORE: Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside F1 from wife to height

Ocon is set to work with Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu again, having previously worked with him during his early tests with Lotus (now Alpine) in the 2014 season.

The Frenchman won the Euro Formula 3 title that year, before going on to win the GP3 title in 2015 prior to his promotion to F1.