--- title: "F1 Silly Season: Ocon’s Move To Haas Raises Stakes for 5 Open Seats" date: "2024-07-25" modified: "2024-07-25" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1-silly-season-ocons-move-to-haas-raises-stakes-for-5-open-seats" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # F1 Silly Season: Ocon’s Move To Haas Raises Stakes for 5 Open Seats ![(L to R) Haas F1 Team's Danish driver Kevin Magnussen, Kick Sauber's Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz walk in the paddock during previews at the Spa-Francophobias circuit in Spa on July 25, 2024, ahead of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix. The Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit will be held on July 28, 2024. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)]() *\JOHN THYS\* Esteban Ocon's confirmed move to the Haas [Formula 1]() team for the 2025 season came as a surprise—or did it? The French racing driver had already been linked to the American team, though it's also true that he had been talking to anyone with a known (or tentative) vacancy for next year. And even though Ocon's departure from [Alpine had already been confirmed](), an announcement regarding his new team wasn't expected until later in the year. Thursday morning's announcement via social media effectively accelerated the already chaotic game of musical chairs currently going on in F1. Five seats are left for the upcoming season, two of those at high-profile teams: Mercedes and Racing Bulls. RB is admittedly not a front-running team like Mercedes right now, but still represents an important seat given its symbiotic relationship with Red Bull Racing. The other three are Williams, Sauber, and of course, Alpine. The wildcard sixth vacancy remains the second seat at Red Bull [should Checo Perez be shown the door]() before this season's over. > Very proud to announce I will be joining [@HaasF1Team]() in 2025 on a multi-year deal. > I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my F1 career and join an ambitious racing team whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me. I’d like to thank… [pic.twitter.com/8ZrYV6Jdz1]() > — Esteban Ocon (@OconEsteban) [July 25, 2024]() Excluding Checo, there are six drivers currently out of contract, meaning they don't have a seat for 2025 yet: Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Logan Sargeant, Zhou Guanyu, Daniel Ricciardo, and Carlos Sainz. Interestingly enough, Magnussen, whose departure from Haas was confirmed before Ocon's announcement, [complained earlier this week]() that Sainz's indecision was "holding up the F1 market." I hate to break it to Magnussen, but I'd find it difficult for him to land a seat. Doesn't seem like Sauber, Alpine, Racing Bulls or Mercedes are interested in his services. Williams? There's always a chance there, but still unlikely. At this point, Sainz is likely the only driver of those six to stick around next year—maybe Ricciardo too. It's worth highlighting that competition for these open seats isn't just among current F1 drivers, but also youngsters looking to graduate from the junior classes. Most specifically, Kimi Antonelli, Victor Martins, and Luke Browning. The trio is well-positioned at their respective squads—Mercedes, Alpine, and Williams—to snatch a seat away from a veteran. As long as Sainz remains without a team, F1's silly season will be strong. However, as I mentioned above, Red Bull could shake things up even harder by canning Perez and opening a seat that'd be even more desirable than Mercedes'. That is if anyone is up to the challenge of being Max Verstappen's teammate—and perhaps more importantly, being strictly a Number Two driver. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()