Nico Hulkenberg has poked fun at Esteban Ocon after the French F1 star agreed to replace him for the third time in his career. Ocon previously stepped into Hulkenberg’s seat at Force India in 2017 and Renault in 2020, and he will now take his place at Haas for the 2025 season.
Haas announced the move on Thursday with Ocon scrambling for a drive after agreeing to end his five-year stint at Alpine. And Hulkenberg, who is off to Sauber, trolled his F1 rival with a tongue-in-cheek jibe.
“No real surprises there, that he came here” said the German. “Third time, he seems to like my groundwork! So I’m sure he will be fine here.”
Hulkenberg has already secured himself a move, having signed a multi-year deal with Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026. The German outfit wanted a native driver to form part of their team and the 36-year-old was always the prime candidate.
Haas have bounced back by snapping up a talented race winner. Ocon won the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021 and boasts three podium finishes on an impressive CV.
“I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my F1 career and join an ambitious racing team whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me,” Ocon posted on X.
“I’d like to thank Gene (Haas) and Ayao (Komatsu) for our honest and fruitful discussions these last few months. Haas F1 Team has big plans and clear targets for the future, and I am looking forward to reuniting with Ayao (my first ever F1 race engineer!), as well as working with everyone in Kannapolis, Banbury, and Maranello.”
Haas will boast a brand new driver line-up in 2025, with Ocon set to race alongside prodigious teenager Ollie Bearman. The 19-year-old Brit will replace Kevin Magnussen, who is currently without a drive next season.
Bearman put on a scintillating performance to claim points on his debut when he stood in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. And many expect him to one day make the step up to the Prancing Horse.
With 146 Grand Prix starts to his name, Ocon will be by far the more experienced members of Haas’ new-look duo. Bearman, who is still honing his craft in F2 with PREMA, said when the move was announced earlier this month: “To say out loud that I will be a Formula 1 driver for Haas F1 Team makes me so immensely proud.”
