Haas has launched a press release confirming that improvement driver Ryō Hirakawa will change Esteban Ocon for the rest of the Formulation 1 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix weekend.
The shock announcement follows what seemed to be a terse alternate between Ocon and his radio engineer throughout follow on Friday.
Ocon has successfully been driving for his profession in latest races, as Haas opted to not renew his contract for 2027, following hypothesis of a tense environment inside the group.
The assertion from Haas doesn’t clarify if this is applicable to the Mexico Metropolis GP solely, or if Ocon will return for Brazil.
Having taken half in FP1 in Mexico, Hirakawa enters the remainder of the weekend with a basis to construct on, and has yet one more follow session earlier than qualifying to grasp setup.
Full assertion from Haas
“October 31, 2026 – TGR Haas F1 Crew reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa will change Esteban Ocon for the rest of the weekend’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, Saturday 31 October – Sunday 1 November.
Hirakawa (32), a two-time winner of the FIA World Endurance Championship (2022, 2023) and 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner (2022) with Toyota GAZOO Racing, participated in FP1 on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday 30 October – his third free follow outing of the season driving the VF-26, ending fifteenth total.
The Japanese driver will accomplice teammate Ollie Bearman by closing follow and qualifying on Saturday and Sunday’s 71-lap grand prix – Hirakawa’s Formulation 1 race debut.
No additional statements shall be made presently.”
Haas’s assertion raises extra questions than it solutions, because the group doesn’t affirm any particulars past the driving force change, the group later confirming in a comply with up the choice will not be as a consequence of sickness.
The choice presents a novel alternative for Hirakawa, because the Japanese driver will now make his F1 debut, albeit underneath uncommon circumstances.