Esteban Ocon knows that he's still one of the better Formula 1 drivers out there.
Esteban Ocon is coming off an impressive P8 finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his best result in 2026. It was a timely performance for the French driver, as he finds himself in the hot seat, or more specifically, in the possibility of losing his F1 seat after the year ends.
After his P8 finish, Ocon was defiant about his abilities as a racing driver, saying that he's "one of the best" on the grid.
Of course, Ocon still trails his younger teammate Oliver Bearman this season. Bearman finished right behind Ocon in Baku, pushing his season total to 20 points. Meanwhile, Ocon increased his total to seven points.
Despite knowing fully well what he could do, Ocon also believes that he's already a free agent in 2027. Rumors have it that Haas is inclined to sign Formula 2 racer and Ferrari Driver Academy driver Rafael Camara. Bearman, who is in his second year with the team, also came from the Ferrari Driver Academy.
If the Haas doors close on him, Ocon would be forced to find a seat elsewhere in the paddock. However, most of the teams are already booked right now. Aston Martin just announced that they're retaining Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. The Racing Bulls are the other team with vacant seats, but it's difficult to imagine them parting ways with either Liam Lawson or Arvid Lindblad without tapping Nikola Tsolov first.
That leaves Ocon with the option of becoming a reserve driver to wait for a door to open. Or maybe, just maybe, he could leave the F1 paddock to take his talents somewhere.
Ocon's potential transition to Toyota's WEC program
Because of Haas's technical partnership with Toyota, Ocon's immediate future has been linked to Toyota's factory endurance program, particularly in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
After all, endurance racing has become a high-profile, well-paid destination for recent F1 drivers. Plus, the prestige of Le Mans might be too difficult for Ocon to pass up.
We've seen numerous F1 drivers try their hand there, with Alonso winning the WEC twice in 2018 and 2019. Interestingly, Alonso also drove for Toyota back then. Mark Webber is another name that comes to mind, as he won the WEC in 2015 while driving for Porsche's LMP1 program.
IndyCar is another option for Ocon, but the WEC might present the easiest transition for him.
Of course, Ocon could still pull off a miracle and secure a 2027 Haas seat. Until then, we just want to see the Frenchman enjoy his remaining drives this year.
