Ocon out of Mexico City GP as Haas hands Hirakawa F1 debut

Esteban Ocon will not take part in the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix after Haas made a surprise announcement on Saturday morning. Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will replace him for final practice, qualifying and Sunday’s 71-lap race, marking the Japanese driver’s Formula 1 race debut.

Why it matters:

Haas has opted for a mid-weekend driver change at a critical point in the season, handing Hirakawa his first F1 start with little preparation beyond Friday’s FP1. The move also cuts short Ocon’s weekend as he prepares to leave the team at the end of the year; F2 points leader Rafael Camara is already confirmed for 2027.

The details:

• Hirakawa, 32, drove the VF-26 in FP1 on Friday and finished 15th overall, his third practice outing of the season.
• He is a two-time FIA World Endurance Championship winner and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 with Toyota GAZOO Racing.
• He will partner Ollie Bearman. Haas confirmed the decision was not illness-related but did not elaborate.

What's next:

Hirakawa faces a steep task in learning the car and track across final practice and qualifying before his F1 race debut. Haas must manage a disrupted weekend and give its debutant a clean chance to show his pace.