Lewis Hamilton’s comments on Esteban Ocon have now been put into sharp focus following the Frenchman’s unceremonious removal from the Haas F1 car this weekend.

Ocon, one of F1’s more outspoken characters, was clearly unhappy about losing his place at the team, and cut a fractious figure with his comments from the cockpit during free practice on Friday.

With his sudden vacation of his seat to make way for reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, the Frenchman’s F1 career looks light it might have come to a shuddering halt.

F1 legend Hamilton comes out in support of F1 reject Ocon.

Haas announced before this year’s United States GP that it had signed Ferrari junior and F2 points-leader Rafael Camara for the 2027 season, with their second driver yet to be confirmed.

It looks like the team may have brought the curtain down on Ocon’s 10 year career even sooner after his removal halfway through the Mexico weekend.

Following the initial decision, Lewis Hamilton was one of those who came out in support of the Frenchman, both in private and in interviews.

“Lewis came to me actually in Austin,” Ocon, who has previously for Manor, Force India, Alpine and Haas, said.

“We chatted a little bit about the situation and how things went, but nothing really to say much more. [But he made an effort], for sure. Yeah, definitely.”

When Hamilton was questioned on the situation, he was effusive in his praise for Ocon.

“I’m not going to say what I said because it’s private, and I didn’t text him,” he said.

“I didn’t know about the text situation [only Lance Stroll had contacted Ocon], but I thought it would be better when I get to see him in person.

“I think he’s one of the nicest guys here. He’s always been so. He’s a charming young lad.

“I don’t know how his environment is or what his challenges have been; I can guess that it probably hasn’t been easy over the years.

“But I think he remains positive. It’s sad to see him leave because I think he’s a very, very talented driver, and I think he deserves to be here.

“But, when one door closes, it opens up new opportunities for something new and better. So I know whatever else he’s going to do, he can do it great because if he continues to carry that stuff the way he does in a positive way, that’s fine.”

Hamilton’s positive comments are reminiscent of when Valtteri Bottas was under pressure for underperforming at Mercedes, with the impressive George Russell waiting in the wings.

The Brit driver appeared to prefer to keep the challenge at arm’s length, and its possible the same is true of his current situation at Ferrari. He already has one Scuderia junior impressing at Haas in the form of Ollie Bearman - he’s unlikely to want another in Rafael Camara.

Regardless, Ocon has said he think he still deserves a place on the F1 grid.

“As I said, I deserve to be here in F1.

“There are many circumstances why I'm not here next year, but they are not the performance reasons. I've won everything, in every category I've done – in go-karts, in Formula Renault, in F3, in GP3, in F1.

“In all these categories, I've won races. So, just thinking of a sports perspective, I deserve to be in F1. And yeah, I believe that this is not my last year.”