Haas has unexpectedly announced that Ryō Hirakawa will replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, handing the Japanese reserve driver his Formula 1 race debut. The surprise decision means the 32-year-old will drive the VF-26 in final practice, qualifying and Sunday’s race alongside Oliver Bearman, with the American team providing no explanation for the sudden change.
The announcement came in an official Haas statement on Saturday, following a Friday practice programme in which Esteban Ocon had returned to the car for FP2. The decision was entirely unexpected, and team principal Ayao Komatsu’s outfit has indicated that it will not provide any further statements for the time being.
Haas replaces Esteban Ocon with Ryō Hirakawa at Mexico GP
Ryō Hirakawa will make his Formula 1 Grand Prix debut at the age of 32, having previously established an impressive career in endurance racing. The Japanese driver won the FIA World Endurance Championship in both 2022 and 2023 and also claimed victory at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans with Toyota.
Fortunately for Haas, Ryō Hirakawa had already gained valuable track time at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Friday. The reserve driver participated in the opening free practice session, completing his third FP1 appearance of the 2026 season behind the wheel of the VF-26.
He finished the session in 15th place after completing the programme assigned to him by the team. At that stage, his participation in the Mexican Grand Prix weekend appeared to have ended, with Esteban Ocon returning to the cockpit for the second practice session.
Instead, Haas has now promoted the Japanese driver to its race line-up for the remainder of the event, creating an unexpected opportunity to compete in his first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Ryō Hirakawa to partner Oliver Bearman in qualifying and Sunday’s race
Following the unexpected driver change, Ryō Hirakawa will partner Oliver Bearman during Saturday’s final free practice session and qualifying. He will then compete in Sunday’s 71-lap Mexico City Grand Prix, marking his first race appearance in Formula 1.
The decision represents a significant change from the original plans for the weekend. Although Ryō Hirakawa has experience of the VF-26 through his reserve-driver duties, his previous participation in Mexico was intended to be limited to Friday’s opening practice session.
Having completed that session in 15th position, the Japanese driver now faces the challenge of preparing for a full Grand Prix with relatively little time in the car. His endurance-racing experience provides a substantial background in professional motorsport, but the demands of Formula 1 qualifying and racing will represent a new challenge.
Ryō Hirakawa was also among several substitute drivers taking part in the opening session in Mexico, where numerous teams fielded reserve and junior drivers during FP1. His appearance, however, has now developed into an unexpected opportunity to contest the entire race weekend.
Haas provides no explanation for Esteban Ocon’s sudden replacement
The circumstances surrounding Esteban Ocon’s replacement remain unclear. Haas confirmed the decision in an official announcement but did not specify what had prompted the team to withdraw the French driver from the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix.
The American outfit, led by Ayao Komatsu, also stated that no further comments would be released at this stage. As a result, the reason behind the change has not been publicly explained by the team.
What is confirmed is that Ryō Hirakawa will take over Esteban Ocon’s driving duties for the rest of the event, joining Oliver Bearman in the Haas line-up for qualifying and the race.
The sudden decision transforms what initially appeared to be another routine reserve-driver practice appearance into the most significant opportunity of Ryō Hirakawa’s Formula 1 career. After finishing 15th in FP1 on Friday, the Japanese driver will now prepare for his first Grand Prix start at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
For Esteban Ocon, meanwhile, the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend has come to an unexpected end, with Haas yet to provide a public explanation for his replacement.
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