Esteban Ocon, Haas, Circuit of the Americas, 2025

Esteban Ocon lamented his team’s decision to use the hard tyres – and stick with them – as he struggled to 15th in Austin.

With three laps to go Ocon was passed by Alexander Albon who also started the race on the hard tyres, but unlike the Haas driver got rid of them during a Virtual Safety Car period early in the race and switched to a two-stop strategy.

“What are you doing to me, guys, honestly?” asked Ocon after he took the chequered flag behind his rival.

Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli made an unusual selection for its hard tyre in Austin, picking a compound which was two ‘steps’ harder than the medium. Ocon was the highest-placed hard tyre runner on the grid, with only Albon and Isack Hadjar behind him also running the hard tyres.

While Albon got rid of his hard tyres early on, Hadjar ran his even longer than Ocon did. But after the race Hadjar’s engineer Pierre Hamelin admitted they had given him the strategy to help his team mate, telling him: “we left you out […] for the good of the team.”

Ocon warned his race engineer Laura Mueller soon after the start that he was struggling on the hard rubber:

Lap: 4/56 OCO: 1’41.861
MuellerBoth cars behind you on hard.
OconAre they struggling also?
MuellerConfirm, Ollie is struggling too.
OconNo, I mean the tyres
Lap: 5/56 OCO: 1’43.099
MuellerOkay, Ollie is struggling, but we don’t know if it’s the tyres. Left-hand toggle for eight.

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The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Carlos Sainz Jnr and Andrea Kimi Antonelli collided. While Williams were quick to bring Albon in, Haas left Ocon out, telling him they weren’t sure whether taking him off the hard tyres was the best thing to do:

Lap: 6/56 OCO: 2’12.009
MuellerFirst strike, track limits turn 12.
MuellerSainz has a puncture. 50 laps to go.
Lap: 7/56 OCO: 2’12.009
MuellerVSC, VSC. So mode slow, stay positive on Delta, and stay out. How much are you struggling on these tyres?
OconTurn 12
If you look around, me, Hadjar, Albon, we are nowhere.
MuellerYeah, understood.
MuellerTurn 16
Okay Esteban so we’re talking and double yellow 19 Sainz is stopped left-hand side after 19.
Ocon passes the pit lane entrance
Lap: 8/56 OCO: 2’08.355
Mueller49 laps to go and Albon pitted.
OconLet me know what tyre.
MuellerHe’s going on medium. The track is clear, still VSC.
MuellerWe don’t know enough about the tyres yet to make a decision and Albon probably boxed because he had damage.
MuellerTurn 15
VSC ending, VSC ending.

Ocon told his team to keep him updated regarding Albon’s pace after switching to the medium rubber. The Williams driver was soon lapping significantly quicker:

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Lap: 9/56 OCO: 1’40.485
MuellerIf possible, you can push more sector one.
Lap: 10/56 OCO: 1’40.975
Mueller47 laps to go.
OconIf Albon is suddenly flying, let me know.
Lap: 11/56 OCO: 1’41.259
MuellerAlbon is doing 39-high but he’s in free air.
OconI’m also in free air.
Lap: 12/56 OCO: 1’41.685
MuellerOkay Esteban so no management, try to really push these tyres.
Lap: 13/56 OCO: 1’41.956
MuellerSo Esteban we’re happy with your lap times, 44 laps to go.

As Albon caught Ocon, Haas brought him in to ‘undercut’ the Williams. They put him onto soft tyres instead of mediums, meaning he now faced the longest soft tyre stint of any driver.

Lap: 21/56 OCO: 1’41.428
MuellerCar behind Hadjar, same old hards, 36 laps to go.
OconAntonelli overtakes him at turn 12
And Albon?
MuellerAlbon has high deg.
Lap: 22/56 OCO: 1’41.470
MuellerTurn four and five were very good last lap.
MuellerAlbon overtakes Hadjar
Car behind Albon, 14-lap mediums.
Lap: 23/56 OCO: 1’41.276
Mueller34 laps to go.
Lap: 24/56 OCO: 1’42.213
MuellerOkay, Albon’s starting to push more, before he was doing 41.4.
OconAlbon has gapped 12 seconds on the medium, so…
MuellerLet me know if you think you have more pace on a medium. Albon has DRS.
MuellerOkay Esteban, what do you think about balance?
OconWe need to add.
MuellerTurn 19
Copy and…
OconBut we… [unclear, talking over each other]
Mueller…box now. Box now.
Ocon pits

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Ocon’s tyres faded over his final stint and he couldn’t prevent Antonelli and Albon passing him. He took the chequered flag a dejected 15th:

Lap: 56/56 OCO: 1’39.687
MuellerThis is the final lap.
Chequered flag
MuellerOkay, that’s the chequered flag. You’re P15. Ollie was P9, and remember your in-lap procedure.
OconWhat are you doing to me, guys, honestly?
MuellerYeah, sorry, we got it wrong with the hard, but the rest of the race would have been okay.
MuellerOkay Esteban when you stop, go to P1, wait a few seconds and go to P0.

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