Esteban Ocon attributes Haas F1 struggles to car inconsistency

Esteban Ocon has addressed the technical challenges facing the Haas F1 Team, asserting that the primary issue is the inconsistency of the VF-26 car rather than driver performance. Despite facing pressure regarding his future with the team and trailing teammate Oliver Bearman in certain statistics, Ocon maintains that the drivers can deliver results when the car is functioning correctly.

Ocon noted that the team has struggled with inconsistent performance across car components throughout the season. Even aerodynamic updates introduced at the Italian Grand Prix have not fully resolved these issues. He highlighted that the car's behavior often varies significantly between drivers or even between different race weekends, citing Budapest as an example where Bearman struggled with the same inconsistencies that Ocon had avoided.

The driver emphasized that the team's current focus is on ensuring the car performs reliably from the start of a race weekend to avoid chasing performance deficits. While the team has yet to reach Q3, Ocon pointed to three consecutive Q2 appearances as a sign of progress.