Esteban Ocon has hit out at the “complete bulls**t” story that was relayed across “sh**ty media” last week, suggesting that he and Ayao Komatsu had fallen out.

Unsubstantiated reports spread across social media last week, suggesting that Haas F1 driver Esteban Ocon and team boss Ayao Komatsu had had a serious argument and falling out at the Miami Grand Prix.

Esteban Ocon attacks social media rumours

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The suggestion was that Komatsu had grown tired of a sluggish start to the F1 2026 season with Ocon, having previously urged his driver to deliver at a higher level this year after an inconsistent season in 2025.

Appearing on social media accounts but without a written report from a paddock journalist, the story spread that Ocon and Komatsu had had a serious falling out at the Miami Grand Prix, and that Ocon may not even see out this season – rumours that were without basis, and strong sources have indicated to PlanetF1.com were completely inaccurate.

With Ocon’s alleged argument dominating social media headlines, the French driver was firm in his assessment of the matter when he sat down with the F1 media ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

“Yeah, honestly, complete bullsh*t, to be honest, it’s unbelievable,” he succinctly said when asked about the reports.

“I was 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 like a massive dispute in Miami, and this is complete nonsense.

“Honestly, it’s all fabricated, complete bullsh*t. As I said, I came to this team for the reason that I have known Ayao 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 got a contract with the team. Ayao will tell you more later, but honestly, it’s crazy how things have escalated, and honestly, I mean, I try not to pay attention to much.

“But when it gets so big, it’s almost like bullying in a way.

“I feel good. I feel relaxed in the team. We are doing a great job in the last couple of races. Been a bit unfortunate in the beginning, we’ve had Safety Cars and stuff, but the pace and the base foundation of the work that we are doing is there, so it’s nothing wrong.”

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With Ocon’s contract up at the end of this season, the experienced veteran of the midfield said he’s confident of having a fair conversation with Komatsu and team owner Gene Haas about continuing together beyond 2026.

“At the moment, we’re only four races in,” he said.

“All these chats, they happen in summer, they always do. At the moment, we’re just focusing on what we have to do, and then we’ll see about the future later.

“But there’s no emergency or dispute, like we don’t talk with Ayao or the team, it’s all been fabricated, so it’s unbelievable, those things.

“The ‘dispute’ about Miami is pretty crazy because, obviously, we had a tough weekend after Miami, so we sat down with Ayao, but we discussed a lot of different things, how to maybe improve this, how to get better, what was going on with the car over the weekend.

“There was just a normal conversation, so I don’t know who’s fabricating this, but I’d better not see this guy because he’s gonna get a big one!

“I think you guys [attending media] didn’t write anything in particular, you guys are the good journalists, and you guys verify your sources, so I don’t think the person who wrote this article is here right now, which is a shame!

“I didn’t read the full thing but, as soon as I translated one article, I saw ‘Ryo Komatsu dispute in Miami’, and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t need to read more about it!’.”

But, while Ocon was aware of the reality of the situation, he explained how it’s impossible for such a story not to have an effect on his headspace, and the people around him.

“At the end of the day, 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 in it,” he said.

“Our team, we had to have a look and understand where that could have come from, but as soon as we talked to the real people who were involved with the story, it’s quite clear that it’s complete bullsh*t.

“You are obviously much more fine when you know the story is very clear inside, because it even gives you doubt, you know? ‘Did we actually have the dispute?’

“All fine, obviously. 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.

“It’s disappointing to see that you can make such damage to a driver’s reputation in two or three days, while you know there’s nothing founded, and these people would just get away with no issues; they just fabricate stories, put all the shit on your back. It’s quite crazy.

“It’s been relayed on all the sh**ty media that are there on socials, and it became so big that obviously you can’t just notice it.

“If you live in a cave, maybe, but you cannot.”

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