Karun Chandhok drops verdict on Haas’ shock Esteban Ocon decision

Karun Chandhok has shared his verdict on the Haas Formula 1 team’s shock decision to replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. 

Haas announced on Saturday morning ahead of final practice that Ocon, who is leaving the American outfit at the end of the current campaign, had been dropped from its driver line-up with immediate effect. 

Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa was parachuted in to fill the seat vacated by Ocon for the rest of the weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which will now be the scene of an unexpected F1 debut for the 32-year-old. 

No explanation was provided by Haas other than a spokesperson confirming that it was not because the Frenchman was ill. 

The bombshell move came after Ocon had a dispute with his race engineer Laura Mueller during second practice on Friday about tyre strategy. There have been suggestions of a further fallout behind-the-scenes after FP2. 

"What Haas can say is that he is not being replaced because of any illness so we can put two and two together and come to the conclusion that the fallout carried on into the debrief and whatever discussions there were later on and the team have decided to stand him down,” Chandhok told Sky Sports F1. 

"From my opinion, I get you are trying to learn whatever you can from FP2 and gain information for the race but that is not necessarily worth the battle with your team. I think you have to be smart picking your battles.

"If you look at the tyre choice itself, in a normal situation I don't think a driver would care as much but in the situation he is in, knowing he has been dropped for next year, he is fighting for a drive.

"That is where the frustration has come from and why it has blown up into a situation we haven't seen for a long time, if ever.”

Chandhok added: “We can deduce this is a pretty volatile environment that’s gone on.

“I don’t think this is a one-off. I think this has been building up ever since the rumours started of him being replaced, and then he actually got replaced.”

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft also shared his thoughts on the extraordinary situation that has unfolded at Haas. 

"We don't know an awful lot. Haas are being tight-lipped,” Croft explained. 

"But talking behind the scenes, the relationship between Esteban and the team for obvious reasons hasn't been magnificent in recent races.

"He's being replaced by Rafael Camara next season, the young Brazilian leading F2 currently. 

"He wasn't happy with the tyre allocation runs yesterday. We can put two and two together and make four on this one and say that has got something to do with it, and his reaction to what the team were asking him.

"It's a real shame because Esteban Ocon is a fine driver."