F1 star says ‘it’s like bullying’ amid rumours team could soon axe him | F1 | Sport

Esteban Ocon has slammed the “fabricated bull****” rumours suggesting he’s fighting for his Formula 1 future. He has scored just one point so far this year while younger team-mate Oliver Bearman has 17. The Brit also outscored the more experienced Ocon last year and Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu publicly called out his disappointing results.

And rumours claiming his days in F1 are numbered have intensified in recent days, amid claims of a falling-out with his Japanese boss in Miami earlier this month. Rumours which, Ocon told reporters on media day ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, are “complete nonsense”.

The 29-year-old said: “Honestly… complete bull****, to be honest. It’s unbelievable. This is complete nonsense. Honestly, it’s all fabricated and complete bull****. We were just talking with Ayao just now. The article I saw was calling him ‘Ryo Komatsu’, which is quite funny. And they were even saying that we had a massive dispute in Miami.

“I came to this team for the reason that I know Ayao since so long. I’ve got a great relationship with him. That’s always been the case and there’s nothing like what people have been saying going on. It’s completely not true. I’m fully focused on what I have to do, the job I have to do with the team. I’m fully on board with the team for the whole year. I’ve got a contract with the team.”

Haas have not issued any public comment on the rumours, though Komatsu is certain to be asked about the story when he speaks to the media later. Ocon said he felt the need to comment as: “It’s crazy how things have escalated. I try not to pay attention too much, but when it gets so big, it’s almost like bullying in a way.”

While F1 drivers often do their best to pay no attention to any speculation in the media, Ocon admitted that this particular rumour had touched a nerve. He continued: “I try not to pay attention to that too much, but that became so big for no reason, that I had to get a bit involved into it, our team, and we had to have a look and understand where that could have come from.

“Obviously it’s been relayed on all the s****y medias that are there on socials. And, yeah, it became so big that obviously you can’t just not notice it. If you live in a cave, maybe, but you can’t. But as soon as we talked to the real people that are involved with the story, it’s quite clear that it’s complete bull****.

“I’m human, so it does affect in a way, it does affect my family, it does affect the sponsors that are obviously counting on me and supporting me, for many races and seasons for some sponsors that I got.

“And it’s disappointing to see, you know, that you can make such damage to a reputation of a driver in two or three days – while there’s nothing founded, and these people would just get away with no issues. They just fabricate stories, put all the s**t on your back, and it’s all fine for them. It’s quite crazy.”