Esteban Ocon could have raced in Formula 1 for the last time after being axed by Haas for reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Ocon’s contract with Haas expires at the end of the year and he will be replaced by Brazilian driver and current F2 championship leader Rafael Camara for the 2027 season.

However, Ocon, who won the 2021 Hungarian GP with Alpine, was expected to complete the rest of the 2026 campaign alongside Ollie Bearman .

Ryo Hirakawa will race for Haas in Mexico this weekend (Reuters)

Yet after appearing in second practice on Friday and getting embroiled in a row over tyres with race engineer Laura Muller, Haas released a statement on Saturday confirming that 31-year-old Japanese driver Hirakawa will take Ocon’s place for the rest of the weekend.

Haas did not reveal the specific reason for the change, but did acknowledge that Ocon wasn’t ill.…