Esteban Ocon’s ‘likely’ next F1 job emerges after his sudden Haas axe at Mexico City Grand Prix

Esteban Ocon is reportedly likely to join Aston Martin as a reserve driver for the 2027 Formula 1 season, according to Autosport. The development follows Haas's sudden decision to bench the French driver at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, replacing him with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa. Haas offered no official reason for the benching, beyond noting that Ocon was not unwell, following a tense radio exchange regarding run plans in FP2.

Haas has already signed Ferrari junior Rafael Camara to replace Ocon on a permanent basis starting in 2027. While Ocon had targeted a race seat with Cadillac, the team is reportedly looking toward Valtteri Bottas or Colton Herta instead. Joining Aston Martin would position Ocon as backup to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, potentially replacing current reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne.