Esteban Ocon Sidelined as Ryo Hirakawa Makes F1 Debut in Mexico

Haas has confirmed that Esteban Ocon will be sidelined for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will take over the VF-26 from final practice onwards, making his Formula 1 race debut in Sunday's 71-lap race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Why it matters:

Ocon's unexpected withdrawal leaves Haas in a precarious position, but it opens the door for Hirakawa, a 32-year-old rookie with extensive endurance racing experience. The Japanese driver's debut underscores the increasing crossover between endurance and F1, as well as Haas's deepening ties with Toyota Gazoo Racing. For Hirakawa, this is a career-defining opportunity to showcase his skills on the F1 stage.

The details:

• Hirakawa already drove for Haas in FP1 on Friday, finishing 15th with a best lap of 1:19.982 as part of the mandatory rookie running.
• The 32-year-old joined Haas as reserve driver in 2025, having previously held similar roles at McLaren and Alpine.
• He remains a Toyota factory driver in the World Endurance Championship, winning the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans and three WEC titles (2022, 2023, and 2024).
• Haas gave no reason for Ocon's withdrawal and will not comment further at this time.

What's next:

Hirakawa will partner Oliver Bearman for the rest of the weekend, with the race set for Sunday. His performance will be closely watched, especially given the limited practice time. Haas may provide an update on Ocon's condition after the race.