Formula 1: Esteban Ocon rumored to replace Romain Grosjean at Haas

Esteban Ocon has been rumored to replace the struggling Romain Grosjean at Haas before the 2019 Formula 1 season comes to an end.

Haas’ Romain Grosjean has struggled mightily throughout the first 10 races of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season after retaining his ride with the team through a second half last gasp effort last season following a poor start to the year.

As a result of his struggles this season, the 33-year-old Frenchman has found himself on the hot seat once again, and he is at risk of being replaced in the near future.

Through the season’s first 10 races, Grosjean has been forced to retire on five occasions, and he has finished in a season-high 10th place twice to score just two points, landing him in a disappointing 17th in the driver standings.

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With Pietro Fittipaldi being Haas’ test and reserve driver, he has been rumored as a possible candidate to replace Grosjean. But now a new candidate has emerged, and he very well may replace Grosjean sooner rather than later.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport junior driver Esteban Ocon has been rumored to replace Grosjean, and after Grosjean crashed in the pits in practice for the British Grand Prix before he was involved in a first-lap accident with teammate Kevin Magnussen, there are rumors that Grosjean may not get a shot at redemption with the sport’s lone American team, the team for which he has driven since they entered Formula 1 ahead of the 2016 season.

Ocon had previously been rumored to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes, but Mercedes executive director and CEO Toto Wolff effectively revealed that the Brackley-based team were not ready to promote him when he urged Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul to “restore his gentleman image” by signing him for the 2020 season to replace Nico Hulkenberg, who is in a contract season. Ocon test drove for Renault in the 2016 season.

The two sides had an agreement to send Ocon to the French manufacturer for the 2019 season to replace Carlos Sainz Jr., who now drives for McLaren, but Renault ended up signing Daniel Ricciardo to a two-year contract after he made the surprising decision to leave Red Bull Racing.

However, Abiteboul seemed rather bullish as it pertained to re-signing Hulkenberg for beyond the 2019 season, so a move involving Ocon effectively being loaned to Haas, especially beginning in the very near future, would make sense for all sides.

Ocon competed in Formula 1 since slightly after the halfway mark of the 2016 season. He drove for Manor Racing MRT in the final nine races of the 2016 season before driving full-time for Sahara Force India in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

He was replaced by Lance Stroll, whose father Lawrence led a consortium and purchased Force India during the 2018 season. He ultimately entered the season as Mercedes’ test and reserve driver after not landing a full-time ride.

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Will Esteban Ocon replace Romain Grosjean at Haas before the 2019 Formula 1 season concludes, possibly even before the next race, the German Grand Prix, at Hockenheimring on Sunday, July 28? At this point, these rumors are still rumors, but it is no secret that Ocon is on the verge of returning to Formula 1 and Grosjean is on the verge of losing his ride.

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