Esteban Ocon’s Formula 1 race career is on hold after Haas dropped him for the remainder of the season following a breakdown in his relationship with team principal Ayao Komatsu. Ocon was already due to leave the team at the end of the year, but the dispute in Mexico City brought his departure forward by several races.

The exact events that led to the decision have not been made public, and lawyers are involved. What is known is that Ocon objected over team radio when engineer Laura Mueller told him Haas was changing his planned race-simulation run from soft tyres to medium tyres. He replied: “No, no. I wanted the soft. Don’t do that to me. Come on.” The disagreement appeared to continue after practice with Komatsu, and Haas announced Ocon’s removal on Saturday morning.

Ocon later said on social media that a difference of views had led to a discussion, while rejecting reports that physical violence had been used. Haas announced on Tuesday that he would not drive for the team again.

The split follows a difficult spell at Haas. Ocon has been outpaced by teammate Oliver Bearman over their two seasons together, and earlier faced similar results against Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso at Alpine, and Daniel Ricciardo when the team was Renault. Haas had also grown concerned about what it saw as a tendency for Ocon to blame the car or team when struggling, as well as tensions with Bearman, including an on-track collision at last year’s British Grand Prix.

Ocon has previously been left without a race seat. He lost his Force India drive after the team was bought by Lawrence Stroll, who put his son Lance in the car, and spent 2019 as a Mercedes reserve driver. Mercedes later helped him return to the grid with Renault in 2020. He won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix for the team, which had become Alpine.

Now 30, Ocon is expected to pursue a reserve-driver position next year while trying to rebuild his prospects. His route back to a race seat may be difficult, with the article pointing to his record against teammates and a new generation of drivers emerging in Formula 1.

Sources: BBC Sport.