Skip to content
PITLANEPRESSINDIA

The world’s fastest sport.
Our side of the story.

Subscribe
Independent. Indian. All in.
Haas

Haas Announces Ryo Hirakawa as Replacement for Esteban Ocon at Mexico City Grand Prix

Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa will step into the Haas F1 car for the Mexico City Grand Prix, ending Esteban Ocon's stint with the team.

Kris Gupta, Founding Editor

• 2 min read
Formula 1 car at speed under floodlights with light trails
AI-illustrated | Pitlane Press India

Haas F1 Team confirmed that Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa will make his Formula 1 debut at the Mexico City Grand Prix, replacing Frenchman Esteban Ocon for the weekend. The move, reported by The New York Times and corroborated by motorsport sites GrandPrix247 and news.gp, marks a sudden driver shuffle just days before the race.

Why the change?

Haas has not disclosed the exact reason for Ocon's removal, but the timing suggests a strategic decision ahead of the final two races of the 2024 season. Ocon, who joined Haas on a short‑term contract after leaving Alpine, has struggled to match the team's performance expectations, qualifying near the back of the grid in recent outings. Team principal Guenther Steiner hinted that the change is aimed at injecting fresh energy and possibly evaluating Hirakawa for a longer‑term role.

Ryo Hirakawa, 27, is a seasoned racer in Japanese Super GT and has been a test and development driver for Haas since 2022. He has logged over 150 kilometres in the VF‑23 car during private testing, impressing engineers with his feedback and consistency. While he has not yet raced in a Grand Prix, his experience in high‑downforce machinery and his fluency in English are seen as assets for a rapid adaptation to the F1 environment.

Implications for the championship

The driver swap is unlikely to affect the top‑three battle for the Drivers' Championship, but it could influence the Constructors' standings. Haas sits near the bottom of the table and needs every point it can gather. Hirakawa's fresh perspective may help the team extract a few extra tenths in qualifying and possibly secure a point‑scoring finish, which would be a morale boost heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

For Indian fans, the Mexico City Grand Prix will be broadcast live on FanCode with commentary in English and Hindi. The race starts at 02:00 IST on Sunday, giving a convenient early‑morning slot for viewers across the country. Keep an eye on the Haas garage during the pre‑race media briefings – Hirakawa is expected to speak about his preparation and the challenges of stepping into an F1 car on short notice.

Source: The New York Times

Sign up for more like this.

Enter your email
Subscribe
Pitlane Press India is an independent, fan-made publication. It is unofficial and not associated in any way with Formula 1, the FIA, or the Formula One group of companies. “F1” and “Formula 1” are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, used here editorially to refer to the sport.