Toto Wolff was right about Esteban Ocon as Haas drops him before Brazil.

Toto Wolff was right all along about Esteban Ocon.

The Mercedes team principal flagged the French driver as 'too combustible' to partner Lewis Hamilton back in 2020, when a seat opened at the Silver Arrows.

Now, six years later, Haas has dropped Ocon with four races remaining in the 2026 season — and the reasons look eerily familiar.

Haas confirmed on Tuesday, November 3, that Ocon will not return to the cockpit for the remainder of the year.

The decision follows a heated confrontation with team principal Ayao Komatsu during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.

Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa replaced Ocon for the Mexico race after the incident, scoring a point on his F1 debut.

Now, 21-year-old Brazilian rookie Rafael Camara will take Ocon's seat for the São Paulo Grand Prix this weekend — making his Formula 1 debut on home soil.

Camara was already signed to replace Ocon for the 2027 season.

The fallout in Mexico accelerated that timeline by four races.

Ocon's exit from Haas marks the latest chapter in a career that has been defined by fractious teammate relationships.

Wolff's concerns about Ocon were documented by BBC Sport during the 2020 driver market evaluation.

Valtteri Bottas had been the perfect number two alongside Hamilton, but questions lingered over his ultimate pace.

When Ferrari closed the gap to Mercedes in 2017 and 2018, Sebastian Vettel finished as runner-up to Hamilton both years.

Mercedes assessed Ocon's data alongside George Russell, another of their junior academy products.

The team concluded Russell was 'their guy for the future.'

When Hamilton contracted Covid-19 at the end of 2020, Mercedes parachuted Russell in from Williams.

Russell very nearly won on debut, cementing the team's confidence in the Briton, who ultimately succeeded Bottas in 2022.

Wolff's judgment on Ocon's temperament proved prescient.

At Force India and its successor Racing Point, Ocon collided with Sergio Perez five times.

The relationship deteriorated to the point where the team had to separate the drivers.

At Alpine, Ocon fell out with Fernando Alonso — a two-time world champion known for testing his teammates.

More recently, Ocon had high-profile incidents with Pierre Gasly at Alpine and Oliver Bearman at Haas.

These collisions further damaged Ocon's reputation across the paddock.

BBC Sport reported that both Haas and Alpine noticed the 'same pattern' when Ocon struggles.

He apparently 'becomes defensive' and blames the team or the car rather than taking responsibility.

This tendency inevitably leads to tension within the team.

That pattern may have been the underlying factor behind Ocon's early exit from Haas.

Ocon had already lost his seat for 2027 before the Mexico confrontation.

The heated exchange with Komatsu followed a practice session, though the content remains private.

Komatsu addressed the decision publicly on X, formerly Twitter.

"Such decisions are never made lightly," Komatsu wrote.

"As was the case in Mexico City — but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward."

"The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter," Komatsu added.

There were reports of a physical altercation between Komatsu and Ocon in Mexico over a disagreement on choice of tires.

Ocon categorically rejected those claims.

Haas had already announced in October that Ocon would be replaced for 2027 by Camara, a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.

"Looking ahead, we've chosen Rafael Camara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix," Komatsu said.

"We're looking forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and working with him through his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil."

Camara expressed his gratitude in a team statement.

"I'm grateful to TGR Haas F1 Team for giving me this opportunity, and I also want to thank Ferrari for their continued support," Camara said.

"Making my Formula 1 debut in Brazil is a special moment for me."

"I know there is a lot to learn, and my focus is on working closely with the team, understanding the car and doing the best job I can this weekend."

The São Paulo Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, November 8.

After Brazil, the season continues with races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Ocon's F1 career spans 198 Grands Prix across 10 years with six different teams.