Martin Brundle 'pretty sure' he knows where Esteban Ocon is going with Mercedes seat free

Martin Brundle believes that Esteban Ocon will be a Haas driver at the start of the 2025 season. The French racer’s departure from Alpine was confirmed after a dramatic Monaco Grand Prix, and his name has been circulated in debates about vacant seats at Mercedes and Williams, as well as F1’s only American team.

Ocon has been a key part of the Alpine project since joining the team formerly known as Renault, but his inability to contribute to a harmonious atmosphere during partnerships with Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly has raised concerns from the leadership circle.

After crashing into Gasly on the opening lap of the Monaco GP, team principal Bruno Famin was furious, threatening serious consequences for the 27-year-old. In the following days, Ocon’s departure was confirmed. However, there are no doubts about his pace, and he is on the shortlist of at least one other squad as contract talks continue in the background.

Discussing Ocon’s future during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast in Montreal, Brundle said: “We think he’ll turn up at Haas next year, Esteban Ocon. He’ll be there. I’m pretty sure he’ll be there.” This is in spite of the fact that Mercedes, whom he formerly tested for, are yet to fill the seat left vacant by Lewis Hamilton.

Brundle’s verdict isn’t just a theory. Haas’ interest in Ocon is very real, and team principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed after FP1 at the Canadian Grand Prix that the North Carolina-based team are in talks regarding a potential deal.

“He has got a lot of experience,” Komatsu told Sky Sports F1. “He’s a race winner, he’s got podium finishes, scored many points and worked with a few different teams. So he’s got lots of experience which is what we are looking for but also he’s only 27, he’s still very young.

“I think his commitment and work ethic is really, really good. I’m talking with several of the current F1 drivers, experienced guys, as well as some of the young F1 drivers. So he’s definitely one of the several that I am considering seriously.”

While Ocon’s best hope of staying on the grid looks obvious, Alpine will likely have a more difficult decision when it comes to naming his successor. Test and reserve driver Jack Doohan is undergoing an aggressive testing program, while other more experienced names such as Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz could be appealing.

Talking to Sky Sports F1 about Doohan’s chances, Famin said: “Jack is an option. We are preparing him. He was testing in Zeltweg not a long time ago and he has a quite heavy testing programme. We are happy with that and let’s see how he develops. He is one possibility among others, but he is one possibility for sure.”