The driver market is getting more interesting with time. With one racer’s future confirmed, hopefully, more news will rush in during and after the summer break. But first- who found a seat? Esteban Ocon did. Driving in his last stint with Alpine, the Frenchman saw a resort in the MoneyGram Haas F1 team from 2025 onwards. Signing a multi-year contract with the American team, Ocon will pair up with Oliver Bearman from next year.

However, this announcement has received mixed reviews. Some fans suggested that Bearman’s nightmares have just begun, while others congratulated Ocon for making the right choice. After all, where else could ‘Estie Bestie’ go? Williams saw potential in Ocon, and Audi also showed some interest. Haas was swift with the deal, and now, look what their quick decisions have led to!

Some believe Esteban Ocon is a “better Kevin Magnussen” for Haas, and this new deal is going to be successful. Especially for Ocon, moving from a complex team like Alpine to a lean racing team like Haas could be good, allowing him to gain some outstanding weekends. Ocon is the ‘upgraded’ version of K-Mag and is expected to do well in Gene Haas’s squad, compared to Magnussen, who has no wins so far in his F1 career. On the other hand, Ocon has a 2021 Grand Prix win in Hungary.

Moreover, an echo from the past could be the reason why Ocon signed the deal with Haas in the first place. Not too far of a stretch but this has something (or everything) to do with team principal Ayao Komatsu. So, what is the story behind the Ocon-Komatsu connection?

Esteban Ocon’s old connection with Ayao Komatsu could’ve played a big role

Becoming the first Grand Prix race winner to sign with Haas, Esteban Ocon created history for the American team. That’s not all, the 27-year-old could use his years of experience in the sport in the best way possible. But, isn’t it curious, how quickly the deal came into the picture and was also shaken hands on in no time? What if we told you, there is an old connection? Ocon first experienced Formula 1 in 2014 with the Lotus F1 Team, now the Alpine F1 Team. Driving his way around Circuit de Valencia, Spain in E20, then-18-year-old Esteban showed potential.

And guess who the engineer was for that day? Ayao Komatsu, the current team principal of Haas! He supervised Ocon years ago in Spain. Komatsu stated: “I’ve obviously been aware of his talents for a long time and our personal history dates back to Esteban’s maiden run in a Formula 1 car – I was his race engineer that day with Lotus”, adding, “The experience he brings, not just from his own talent base but also from working for a manufacturer team, will be advantageous to us in our growth as an organization.” As expected, the former Lotus (Alpine) engineer has high hopes from Ocon. Now, he must stand up to those expectations.

Esteban Ocon, despite all the recent backlash he experienced, is on a great start for next year. Among the many drivers still waiting for a potential seat, Ocon’s speedy decision could now open (or maybe close) some doors for the remaining lot. However, only time will tell if Ocon made the right choice or not. As of now, the deal is worth looking up, and with old connections and a promising squad, the Haas X Ocon pairing looks optimistic.

Is Esteban Ocon the best fit for Haas? What’s your take? Share in the comments below.