Toyota dismiss Ocon rumours as Hirakawa future remains uncertain

Toyota has dismissed rumours linking Haas driver Esteban Ocon with a move to its World Endurance Championship programme for the 2027 season.

Speculation emerged after Haas confirmed that Ocon will leave the Formula 1 team at the end of 2026. However, reports indicate that a move to Toyota's WEC squad is far from reality.

Instead, Toyota's 2027 driver line-up could be affected by Ryo Hirakawa's potential move to Formula 1. The Japanese driver, who is also a Haas reserve, is one of the candidates to replace Ocon alongside Oliver Bearman next season.

If Hirakawa does leave Toyota for Haas, the Japanese manufacturer already has a potential replacement in its junior programme. Toyota technical director David Floury identified Esteban Masson as the logical candidate to step up to the Hypercar line-up.

“Esteban is pretty much ready to step in. We are still discussing this, but obviously it would be a logical choice,” Floury said.

Masson is currently competing in the European Le Mans Series and is being developed by Toyota as a future Hypercar driver.

For Ocon, meanwhile, his future in motorsport remains uncertain. The Frenchman has declared himself a free agent for 2027 and confirmed that he is speaking with other teams.