Esteban Ocon has praised the Haas F1 team for fostering a healthier and more open working environment compared to his experience at Alpine. Reflecting on his transition ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Ocon emphasized how improved communication and team dynamics at Haas have contributed to a more effective and motivated atmosphere.
Having signed with Haas for the 2025 season, the French driver expressed frustration with Alpine’s handling of issues during his tenure there, where concerns went unaddressed. At Haas, Ocon has found a workplace culture that encourages transparent dialogue and immediate problem-solving, marking a notable shift from his past experiences.
Open Communication and Team Motivation Set Haas Apart
Speaking to Autosport, Ocon described Haas as a “healthy environment” where accountability is embraced. He valued the habit of discussing mistakes openly right after races to avoid repeating them
“Compared to my previous experience, it’s a healthy environment,”
“If we don’t do something right, we talk about it and hope not to do it again. And we talk about it straight away at the end of the race.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
According to Ocon, such direct communication prevents recurring problems and fosters continuous improvement. He contrasted this with his prior experiences, where a lack of openness often led to repeated mistakes. This transparent culture has fueled a high level of motivation within the team, something Ocon found lacking elsewhere in Formula 1.
He described seeing some individuals who were unmotivated during his previous roles as particularly disheartening, especially for a driver who invests intense effort and preparation before each race.
“This team is incredibly motivated. It can sound crazy, but I’ve seen some people not motivated in the past, even working in the Formula 1 paddock. That’s probably the worst thing.”
“As a driver like me – who puts his heart and sweat into the work, to do everything perfect before I get to the track – when you turn up and you see somebody looking at his check-in on Monday, it’s quite tough. And I’ve seen that in the past.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
While Ocon acknowledged there is still room for improvement, he is optimistic about the team’s progress and foundation since his arrival.
“Now, I’m not going to say everything’s perfect. There are things that we need to improve, obviously. But, we have a very solid base to work on since I joined, and we are moving forward. And I’m glad with the way it’s going.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
Swift Adaptations and Strong Team Response Highlight Haas’ Approach
Ocon’s first encounters with Haas impressed him, especially their responsiveness in customizing equipment to his needs. He cited the team’s rapid redesign of his steering wheel with a double clutch as an example of their dedication.
“Designing a steering wheel with a double clutch, it took them a month, which was ridiculous,”
“I was incredibly surprised with that, and I’ve never seen any other team do that, even the big ones that I worked with. Normally it takes a lot of time for that to come.”
“We were claimed to be the smallest team. We are. But, you know, some of these reactions are top class.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
Despite positives, Haas faced challenges early in the 2024 season, notably at the Australian Grand Prix. Both Ocon and teammate Oliver Bearman struggled with car stability at high speeds, leading to poor qualifying and finishing results. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu described the Australian race as a “bomb” following strong performances that had placed the team seventh in the constructors’ championship the previous year.
However, Haas quickly recovered from this setback, demonstrating their ability to regroup and address issues effectively.
“I was talking to Ayao about many things in the team and I was honestly super impressed about the reaction that they got after that race,”
“No one was hiding. Everyone came as one, all together as a real team, to try and fix some of the issues that we were having in that first week in Australia.”
“And then we arrived in China and we managed to turn things around completely. This is no luck. This is the atmosphere that there is inside this team. There is no hiding behind or pointing to one person.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
Looking Ahead: Ocon Aims for Higher Performance with New Technical Rules
While Haas currently sits ninth in the 2024 constructors‘ championship, the team has accumulated 35 points across 14 grands prix, averaging 2.5 points per race—its second-best rate over ten seasons in Formula 1.
Ocon believes that for Haas to challenge the leading F1 teams, they will need a more competitive car platform, especially with the technical regulations set to evolve in 2026.
“We just need a faster platform,”
“Obviously, we’ll see what next year brings. And we need to finish this year on a high, also. But if we have a platform to fight higher up, we will be ready to fight the bigger guys, 100%. We just need to have something decent to work on the racetrack, and then we’ll take care of it.”
—Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 driver
With a stronger base and a culture of transparency and teamwork, Ocon and Haas are positioned to build on their progress as they target higher results in the coming seasons.