Drive to Survive catches Haas team member’s immediate Esteban Ocon concern after signing the Alpine exile

Season 7 of Netflix’s hit Formula 1 docuseries Drive to Survive is due to be released on March 7 and shows the moment a Haas team member queries Esteban Ocon’s signing.

All 10 episodes of Season 7 of Drive to Survive will hit screens this Friday and run through an array of the biggest storylines from the 2024 Formula 1 calendar. Netflix tends to cast an eye back on the previous term ahead of a season, with 2025 kicking off in Australia on March 16.

The F1 driver market was a major aspect of the 2024 season, with Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari the catalyst for further changes. But the Briton is not the sole racer with new colours this year, with Ocon also now a Haas driver after Alpine opted against renewing his contract.

Drive to Survive catches Haas staffer questioning Ayao Komatsu on if Esteban Ocon was the right signing

Alpine decided to replace the 28-year-old after Ocon crashed with teammate Pierre Gasly in the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. The Frenchman would ultimately go on to sign for Haas in July, with Ocon partnering Oliver Bearman in the Briton’s first full campaign as a Formula 1 driver.

But not everyone at Haas was thrilled to learn the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix winner was on his way for the 2025 campaign when team principal Ayao Komatsu announced the American outfit secured Ocon. He and Bearman have replaced Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

READ MORE: Haas driver Esteban Ocon’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Netflix’s cameras caught the moment that Komatsu informed Haas at their factory that Ocon had agreed to join in Episode 9 of Season 7 of Drive to Survive. But one team member raised an immediate question, quizzing Komatsu on if Ocon was the right pilot to partner Bearman.

A Haas team member can be heard asking: “Are you fully, 100% sure that Ocon is a good fit for us?” To which, Komatsu replied: “The main [thing] for me is his work ethic. You can see he can race. So, I’m pretty confident he was the best choice.”

Ayao Komatsu and Esteban Ocon discussed his reputation for clashing with teammates during contract negotiations

While Komatsu feels Ocon was the ‘best choice’ to replace Magnussen, having already hired Ferrari Driver Academy racer Bearman to replace Hulkenberg following his decision to move to Sauber for 2025, not every Formula 1 team principal was open to signing the Frenchman.

James Vowles opposed Williams signing Ocon to partner Alex Albon as he looked to replace Logan Sargeant due to question marks over if the Evreux native is a ‘team player’. Ocon has often faced questions about being a team player after his fractious pairing with Sergio Perez.

READ MORE: The best moments of Esteban Ocon’s career in Formula 1

Ocon and Perez often traded paint whilst teammates at Force India, including costly crashes in the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix. Neither would yield for the other and it cost Force India a lot of points, while Ocon accused Perez of ‘trying to kill me’ at Spa.

Even Komatsu discussed Ocon’s reputation for clashing with teammates during negotiations over his contract to join Haas. But the team principal did not feel it was a reason to snub his availability, with Haas signing Ocon to a two-season, £6.5m-a-year contract to join for 2025.