Haas F1 boss’s extraordinary x-rated rant about alleged Esteban Ocon rift

Haas Formula 1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has slammed recent stories that alleged that he’d had a rift with Esteban Ocon following the Miami Grand Prix.

It was also suggested that Yuki Tsunoda was in the frame to leave the Red Bull camp and step into a seat with the Toyota-backed team.

Komatsu met with Ocon and his management in Montreal on Thursday, allowing him the opportunity to clarify that there was nothing to the stories, which appeared in various languages.

“Honestly I don’t know where that story came from, no idea,” said Komatsu. “This Brazilian journalist was quoted, but I have no idea. No foundation whatsoever, absolute bull***.

“If somebody wants to write that kind of bull*** feel free, but f****** hell, is that journalism? I have no idea, it’s terrible. What are they trying to achieve? It’s crazy, no foundation whatsoever. Have any of you heard me saying anything like that? It’s incredible.”

Regarding his discussions with Ocon he said: “I spoke to him this morning, but for me there's like nothing to defend from our side whatsoever. So the part of it, it says apparently I had like some issue with Esteban in Miami.

“Where’s that come from? I didn’t even have a single argument with Esteban in Miami. It’s just amazing how completely this bull*** gets smoked up, and then, because nobody checks the source, then everybody just writes on top of it. How is that journalism? It’s just f****** bull***, gossip.”

Komatsu confirmed that the stories had been an unwanted distraction for all parties.

“A complete waste of time,” he said. “Esteban gets worried, his manager gets worried. Esteban knows that we haven’t had any argument in Miami, at least a specific thing. This morning we were smiling and talked about it. What the f*** is that about?

“So I said I’m going to just completely clarify this to everyone, because it’s absolute utter s****, total bull***. It’ just something we don’t need, right?

“And then I think it gets written in Japanese. I haven’t actually read what this Brazilian journalist wrote, so Japanese translation, how inaccurate is it? I have no idea.

“And also, like, lots of Japanese sites, they really want to create s***, like, I’d like to take Yuki or something. That’s got zero foundation.

“So I don’t take any notice. But then some French journalists pick it up. It’s like, f****** hell, if you’re a French journalist, what you trying to do to your country’s driver by picking up stories like trying to get some traction? Are you trying to put your French driver down? It’s like, what is the purpose? It’s just bull****”

He added: “When I was a kid I wanted to be an investigative journalist. So, when I read things like it’s like f****** hell, are you not embarrassed about what you’re writing?

“And then, by writing bull**** like this with no foundation, you lose credibility completely right. Any media runs that kind of bull**** story loses credibility in my mind anyway. It’s not even like twisting my words. “There’s zero facts, nothing to do with what I said, because I didn’t say any of that. It’s incredible.”

Ocon gave his own angry response to the reports earlier on Thursday.