What’s going on at Haas? Ocon loses his seat to a 32-year-old rookie
Haas has replaced Esteban Ocon with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa for the remainder of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, giving the 32-year-old Japanese racer his first Formula 1 race start.
The decision was reported by RacingNews365 on Saturday, 31 October, which said Haas had confirmed the change. Hirakawa will take over Ocon’s VF-26 from the final practice session and compete alongside Oliver Bearman in Sunday’s 71-lap race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
The team has not publicly explained why Ocon was withdrawn, according to the report, and said it would not provide further comment.
Hirakawa had already driven Ocon’s car during Friday’s opening practice session as part of Formula 1’s mandatory rookie programme.
He completed 30 laps and finished 15th with a fastest time of 1:19.982, while Bearman placed ninth.
Ocon returned for the second practice session, recording a time of 1:18.774 to finish 13th. He reported difficulties with the car but had not indicated that he would miss the remainder of the weekend.
«It’s always challenging when you miss out on a session, but Ryō did a good job and collected some valuable data,» Ocon said after Friday’s running.
Who is Ryo Hirakawa?
Despite making his Formula 1 race debut at 32, Hirakawa has extensive experience in international motorsport.
The Japanese driver won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 with Toyota and secured World Endurance Championship titles in 2022, 2023 and 2026.
He joined Haas as a reserve driver in 2025 after previously holding similar positions with McLaren and Alpine.
Hirakawa has also participated in several Formula 1 practice sessions, including appearances in Austria and Hungary earlier this season.
His expected race appearance in Mexico would make him the second-oldest driver to debut in Formula 1 in the 21st century, behind André Lotterer, who made his only Grand Prix start with Caterham in Belgium in 2014.
The unexpected replacement comes just weeks after Haas confirmed that Ocon would leave the team at the end of the 2026 season.
The Frenchman, who joined Haas from Alpine in 2025, has struggled to match team-mate Bearman’s results this season.
Haas has already signed Brazilian driver Rafael Câmara, the reigning Formula 3 champion, to replace Ocon in 2027.
Ocon, who claimed his only Formula 1 victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, has said he intends to continue racing in the championship despite losing his Haas seat.
Hirakawa is now expected to make his first Grand Prix start on Sunday, 1 November, although the reason for Ocon’s withdrawal remains unclear.
Haas has also not signed Oliver Bearman for the 2027 season yet. According to Paddock rumours, the team is not ready to pay Bearman a new salary of $6mn.
