Reserve Driver Hirakawa Replaces Ocon for F1 Race Debut with Haas
Haas gave Ryo Hirakawa his Formula 1 debut after a brief weekend swap with Esteban Ocon and did not explain the change.
- On Saturday, the Haas Formula 1 team abruptly announced that reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.
- The move follows a radio dispute on Friday between Ocon and race engineer Laura Mueller regarding tyre strategy, though Haas stated the Frenchman was not ill.
- Hirakawa, a 32-year-old former Le Mans 24-hour winner for Toyota, previously drove the VF-26 during Friday's practice session, finishing 15th overall before his unexpected promotion.
- Partnering with teammate Oliver Bearman, Hirakawa will make his Formula 1 race debut during Sunday's 71-lap grand prix after taking over for final practice and qualifying.
- With Ocon leaving Haas at the end of the year, his prospects for a race seat next year remain slim, amid reports linking him to an Aston Martin reserve role.
54 Articles
54 Articles
In trouble this season with only seven points scored, the Habs will leave their place at the Japanese Ryo Hirakawa for the rest of the Mexican weekend.
The end of Esteban Ocon’s stage in Haas is coming to an end. In the middle of Mexico’s Grand Prix, the team has taken the surprising decision to fulminate the Frenchman to ascend the reserve driver, Ryo Hirakawa, who will occupy his single-place position both in the standings this Saturday and in the race on Sunday. The news is the least strange, as the US team has not explained the reasons to do without Ocon when there are still five races left…
The 32-year-old Japanese, a Toyota protégé, had already played free practice 1 Friday in Mexico City. ...
Haas made a surprising driver change.
Excitement in Formula 1! Shortly before the Grand Prix of Mexico, a racing stable replaces its driver.
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