Ocon hails points in Canada as ‘reward’ for Haas on 200th Grand Prix

Haas celebrated its 200th Formula 1 race at the Canadian Grand Prix with a crucial points finish, as Esteban Ocon navigated a challenging race to secure ninth place. The team's bold decision to split strategies between Ocon and teammate Ollie Bearman ultimately paid off for Ocon, who started on hard tires and executed a successful one-stop plan. This result marks a significant achievement for Haas, reinforcing their position in the Constructors' Championship. Ocon, starting P14, credited the team's collective effort and the calculated risk of his strategy for his strong performance. He emphasized the importance of delivering consistent laps in clear air, which allowed him to overtake several cars. The Frenchman highlighted the reward of scoring points in such a milestone race, acknowledging that opportunities like these are rare and must be seized. Conversely, Ollie Bearman's afternoon was more frustrating. Despite showing promising pace in the VF-25, he struggled to make progress due to being stuck in a DRS train for much of the race, ultimately finishing just outside the points in P11. Bearman acknowledged the car's potential and expressed confidence in Haas's ongoing progress in understanding and optimizing their car, particularly in race trim. He noted that Fridays remain a weak point for the team but was pleased with the points scored, aiming to build on this momentum in upcoming races. Haas currently holds sixth place in the Teams' Championship, level on points with Racing Bulls.