Under-pressure F1 driver described as ‘uncoachable’ by his own engineer

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An under-pressure Formula 1 driver has been described as ‘uncoachable’ by one of his own engineers.

Four races into the 2026 F1 season, it is clear that Mercedes are currently the ones to beat, with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell locked in a title fight.

However, in Miami, the likes of McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari brought a host of upgrades in order to close the gap to the Silver Arrows.

Mercedes will look to extend their advantage again as they bring their own improvements for the W17 to Montreal this weekend.

Do you still look forward to watching F1 races in 2026?📺

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Esteban Ocon described as ‘uncoachable’ by one of his own engineers

Further down the grid, the pressure is ramping up on Esteban Ocon, who has already been linked with an exit amid tension between him and Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu.

It has previously been claimed that Ocon and Komatsu had a ‘fallout’, and with Oliver Bearman producing impressive performances, the Frenchman may not last the whole of 2026.

Speaking on a YouTube livestream with Peter Windsor, former Haas race engineer Mark Slade has spoken about Ocon.

Slade claimed that Ocon is potentially quick, but has some ‘real issues’. Although he refused to go into details, he did reveal that one of the French driver’s engineers described him as ‘uncoachable’.

When asked how he would compare Ocon to Kevin Magnussen, Slade said: “In my opinion, Kevin is a far better driver.

“I think Ocon is potentially quick, but he has some real issues. It’d be unfair for me to go into it, but another engineer of Esteban’s has described him as ‘uncoachable’, and that says it all. Unfortunately.

“I was blown away in Shanghai when Esteban said, yeah, that was my fault, when he tangled coming out of the pit lane. That’s the first time I’ve heard Esteban Ocon accept responsibility for something.”

Does Esteban Ocon deserve a seat on the F1 grid in 2027?

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READ MORE: Trouble ‘brewing’ at Haas as Esteban Ocon’s camp accuse the team of favouring Oliver Bearman

Who could replace Esteban Ocon at Haas?

So far in the 2026 season, Ocon has only managed to collect one point, putting him 16th in the world championship standings.

Meanwhile, Haas teammate and rising star Bearman has scored 17 points in the opening four Grands Prix, leaving him in seventh place, behind four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

Amid the uncertainties over Ocon’s future, several drivers have already been linked with a move to Haas as the Frenchman’s replacement.

For example, Yuki Tsunoda could be in line to take over from Ocon, the 26-year-old is currently serving as the reserve driver for Red Bull and Racing Bulls.

Aside from Tsunoda, former Alpine driver Jack Doohan, who was replaced by Franco Colapinto, has already been linked with a move to Haas. It has been reported that Doohan’s ‘family’s power’ could be the key in his bid to return to F1.