F1 sacking amid 'physical altercation' rumour

Esteban Ocon has been sacked by Haas with immediate effect.

In a bombshell statement dropped by the team, the Frenchman's future, which was already under a cloud of uncertainty, has been confirmed, with Rafael Câmara taking his place for this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Ocon was dropped for last week's race in Mexico after an alleged altercation with team principal Ayao Komatsu and little information or explanation has been offered by either party since.

In Mexico he was replaced by Ryo Hirakawa.

"TGR Haas F1 Team can confirm that Esteban Ocon will no longer compete on its behalf in the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship," a team statement said.

"Rafael Câmara will now partner Ollie Bearman in the team at the São Paulo Grand Prix – hosted at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil, 6-8 November 2026 – Round 20 of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

"Câmara (21), the current FIA Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship points-leader, will make his Formula 1 debut on home-soil this year having last month been announced as one of TGR Haas F1 Team’s full-time driver signings for the 2027 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

"A member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, Câmara’s first on-track experience with TGR Haas F1 Team came through his participation in a Testing of Previous Car (TPC) test in August, when he drove the team’s VF-25 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal."

team principal Ayao Komatsu said the sentiment was that ocon's immediate exit was in the best interestes of the team.

“We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season," Komatsu said.

"Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City – but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward.

"The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations. Looking ahead, we’ve chosen Rafael Câmara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the São Paulo Grand Prix.

"Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafa’s capabilities and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and working with him through his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil.”