Esteban Ocon knew before the race weekend in Mexico that his time as a Haas driver would end this season, but his dismissal during the event itself caught the French driver by surprise, [speedweek.com] reported.
The 30-year-old will not return to the Formula 1 starting grid for the remainder of this year, leaving his future in the sport uncertain. This sudden departure sparked heavy discussions in the Interlagos paddock.
The topic arose during the team principals’ press conference at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. Toto Wolff, Fred Vasseur, and Alan Permane faced questions from journalists after previously working with Ocon during his career.
Alan Permane praised the driver from Évreux, calling him a great guy during the media session. Fred Vasseur, who previously worked with his compatriot in GP3 and DTM, also weighed in on the situation at Ferrari.
“[He] has done well in the junior formulas, in DTM and in Formula 1,” Vasseur told [speedweek.com].
The Ferrari team principal said that he lacks insight into the internal disputes between Haas and the driver.
“[It] is difficult to comment on something that is happening in another team, and I am busy enough with my guys anyway. I also don’t know what happened between the team and the driver, so I don’t want to say anything about that,” Vasseur told [speedweek.com].
Despite remaining cautious about the internal dispute, Vasseur defended Ocon’s character and work ethic throughout a demanding grand prix calendar.
“[It] is certainly a shame for Esteban because in my eyes he is a real fighter. He has invested a lot of energy all season to be in Formula 1, and he deserves a lot of respect for that. But I won’t comment on this situation,” Vasseur told [speedweek.com].