Ryo Hirakawa has joined an exclusive group of Formula 1 drivers after scoring a point on his Grand Prix debut at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The Japanese driver finished 10th for Haas following time penalties handed to three competitors, becoming the 82nd driver in F1 history to finish in the points on his first appearance in the championship.
The achievement came on a remarkable afternoon at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden Formula 1 world championship. While the Mercedes youngster made history by becoming the youngest world champion and ending Italy’s 73-year wait for another title, Hirakawa also earned a place in the sport’s record books through an unexpected result.
Ryo Hirakawa scores points on F1 debut after Mexico GP penalties
The Mexico City Grand Prix will primarily be remembered for Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s historic championship triumph. The Bologna-born driver not only established a new record as Formula 1’s youngest world champion but also became the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953, an achievement celebrated throughout Italy.
Interestingly, Ascari shares another distinction with Antonelli and numerous other drivers from Formula 1 history: scoring points on his very first appearance in the championship.
Ryo Hirakawa added his name to that list in Mexico City. Haas had initially promoted the Japanese driver to participate in the first free practice session before subsequently confirming him as a replacement for Esteban Ocon, whose relationship with the American team had completely broken down.
Hirakawa initially finished the race outside the top 10, apparently missing out on a points-scoring result in his first Grand Prix. However, time penalties imposed on three other drivers promoted him to 10th place in the final classification, allowing him to collect his first Formula 1 championship point.
The two-time endurance racing champion consequently became the 82nd driver in Formula 1 history to score points on his debut. He was also only the second Japanese driver to achieve the feat, following Yuki Tsunoda, who had accomplished it six years earlier.
Three drivers won their first Formula 1 race on debut
The historical statistics also include drivers who competed in the Indianapolis 500 between 1950 and 1960, when the American event formed part of the Formula 1 World Championship.
Giuseppe Farina naturally heads the list, having won the first race in Formula 1 World Championship history at Silverstone in 1950. The Italian finished ahead of Luigi Fagioli, Reg Parnell, Yves Giraud-Cabantous and Louis Rosier, with those five drivers occupying the points-paying positions under the scoring system used at the time.
Farina is also one of only three drivers to have gone beyond merely scoring points on their championship debut by winning their first race outright.
The other two are Johnnie Parsons, who won the 1950 Indianapolis 500, and fellow Italian Giancarlo Baghetti, who triumphed at the 1961 French Grand Prix. Together, they form a remarkable trio of drivers who achieved victory in their first Formula 1 World Championship appearance.
Lewis Hamilton, Alain Prost and other F1 champions scored points on debut
Several other drivers came close to winning their first Formula 1 race, although even those who did not immediately reach the top step of the podium sometimes delivered results that hinted at the successful careers awaiting them.
Among the future world champions who scored points on their Formula 1 debut was Alberto Ascari, followed in the first half of the 1950s by Mike Hawthorn. Both would subsequently establish themselves among the leading figures of their generation.
Jackie Stewart achieved the same distinction in 1965, while Alain Prost joined the group in 1980. Their respective debut performances provided early indications of the talent that would eventually carry them to multiple world championships.
Jacques Villeneuve, the last driver to win the Formula 1 world championship with Williams, also scored points on his debut approximately 30 years ago. The Canadian would go on to secure the 1997 title.
Another notable name is Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari’s most recent drivers’ world champion, who made his Formula 1 debut with Sauber in 2001 and immediately finished in the points.
The 2006 and 2007 seasons also brought the arrival of several future champions who demonstrated their abilities from their first appearances. Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel both managed to score points on their debuts, while Lewis Hamilton achieved the same distinction in 2007.
Hamilton would go on to become one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history, eventually matching Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships.
Ryo Hirakawa joins an exclusive group in Formula 1 history
Although scoring a point on debut does not guarantee future success, the list of drivers who have achieved the feat includes some of the most celebrated names in Formula 1. From Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari to Alain Prost, Lewis Hamilton and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, numerous future champions began their careers with immediate points-scoring performances.
For Ryo Hirakawa, the circumstances were unusual. His 10th-place finish was only secured after penalties changed the final order at the Mexican Grand Prix, but the result nevertheless placed the Haas driver alongside 81 predecessors who had collected championship points on their first Formula 1 appearance.
On a weekend already defined by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s historic championship victory and Italy’s 73-year wait, Hirakawa’s achievement provided another noteworthy addition to the sport’s statistical history.
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