Hirakawa savours 'dream' F1 debut after points in Mexico City

Ryo Hirakawa described his Formula 1 debut as “my dream” after a chaotic Mexico City Grand Prix weekend ended with the Japanese driver promoted into the points for Haas. Called up on Saturday morning to replace Esteban Ocon, Hirakawa had already run in FP1 as a rookie and made his first start from P18 after Liam Lawson’s penalty.

Why it matters:

Hirakawa’s debut was not just a feel-good story. It showed a 32-year-old endurance star could adapt quickly to F1’s pressure, traffic and tyre management—and it gave Haas a point from an unexpected driver change. Scoring on debut also placed him in a small group of drivers to do so.

The details:

• Hirakawa qualified P19 but started one place higher after Lawson’s grid drop.
• He ran in the midfield for much of the 71-lap race and finished P13 on the road, with reaching the chequered flag his main aim.
• Post-race penalties for Oscar Piastri and the two Alpine drivers lifted him to P10 and into the points.
• “Was a lot of things to do, especially the start and lap one, it was not easy,” Hirakawa said, admitting he left extra margin at Turn 1 because he wanted to finish and learn.
• He added that the first stint was tough on pace, but after the Safety Car and on the C5 tyre he found more confidence and passed two cars.

What's next:

Haas have not confirmed their line-up for Brazil, and Hirakawa was originally due to race for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, where the title remains open. Whether Mexico proves his only F1 start or the beginning of something more, Hirakawa was clear: “I just need to taste this moment. I’m really happy, today was my dream.”