Esteban Ocon's dramatic departure from Haas in the run-up to the Mexico City Grand Prix was something that no one saw coming, but if the latest reports are to be believed, the midfield dwellers may already have his replacement waiting in the wings.

Just shy of 200 GP entries in Formula 1, the Frenchman is unlikely to surpass that number with his turbulent 2026 season brought to a close due to a rumoured physical confrontation between the 30-year-old and team principal Ayao Komatsu at the end of FP2. Ocon quickly, however, denied any physical confrontation had taken place.

Once again, the car produced little pace; Ocon's fastest time in that particular practice was +0.947s off the early pace setter Charles Leclerc.

The disappointment in Mexico City then led to a tense radio dispute as the 2021 Hungarian GP winner made his frustrations known with race engineer Laura Mueller. This was then followed by rumours of physical aggression between the driver and team principal.

The driver has since publicly disputed those rumours, stating only that "a difference in viewpoints led to a discussion with the parties involved" and that he "categorically reject(s) any reports or allegations suggesting that any form of physical violence was used to resolve any differences of any nature."

Ocon was already set to depart Haas after joining in 2025, with F2 driver and Ferrari Academy rookie Rafael Camara set to take his seat next season. The American F1 team, however, opted to hold off on an early call-up for the young Brazilian, instead turning to experienced Japanese racing driver Ryo Hirakawa.

The 32-year-old F1 rookie handled the difficult circumstances of his call-up commendably. After originally placing 13th, he found himself in the points after the trio of Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto, and Pierre Gasly were all handed penalties.

Esteban Ocon's Likely Replacement For Brazil GP

Naturally, the assumption had been that after his impressive debut, Hirakawa would remain in the Haas seat for the final four races of the 2026 season. However, according to F1 journalist Julianne Cerasoli, the majority of the paddock is placing its bets on Jack Doohan.

As many will remember, the Aussie competed for Alpine in 2025, before being dropped after six rounds. Doohan is currently the Official Reserve Driver for Haas after he left Alpine earlier this year.

With Hirakawa scheduled to compete in the World Endurance Championships in Monza, the door appears to be open for an unlikely comeback and a chance to impress.