Haas swaps Ocon for Hirakawa in Mexico City GP weekend
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 31, 2026
Haas changes lineup
Haas replaced Esteban Ocon with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa for the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, making a late change that put Hirakawa in line for his Formula 1 race debut. Haas announced the switch Saturday morning and said it would not give a reason for the move. The team also said the decision had nothing to do with illness. Hirakawa had already taken over Ocon’s VF-26 in Friday morning practice because of the rookie FP1 mandate, and he finished 15th in that session. Ocon then returned for second practice and placed 13th. Haas said Hirakawa would continue with final practice, qualifying and Sunday’s 71-lap race, which turned the final stages of the weekend into a debut run for a driver with a background in endurance racing. The timing gave the team a fresh lineup for the event and shifted the focus to how quickly Hirakawa could adapt after already getting one outing in the car.
Hirakawa set for debut
Hirakawa arrives with a résumé built far from the Formula 1 grid. He is a former Super GT champion, a two-time World Endurance Championship title winner with Toyota and a winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours with Toyota. That background gives Haas an experienced racer with long-distance success, even if the Mexico City Grand Prix will mark his first Formula 1 race start. His Friday practice run already offered a small preview of what he can bring to the team over a race weekend. He logged laps in Ocon’s car under the rookie FP1 mandate, then moved into a bigger role once Haas confirmed the weekend swap for the rest of the event. For Hirakawa, the assignment means moving from a one-session cameo to a full schedule that includes final practice, qualifying and the race itself. That progression puts him on a rare path, from reserve duty and a mandated practice appearance to a debut under Grand Prix conditions. Haas now has to manage the practical side of that leap, including getting him up to speed on a track where every session matters and every adjustment can shape the rest of the weekend.
Ocon future looms
The driver change also lands against a wider backdrop for Haas and Ocon. The move followed a dispute between Ocon and race engineer Laura Mueller over tire strategy, adding another layer to a weekend that already shifted direction once the team made its announcement. Ocon is already due to leave Haas at the end of the season, so the swap does not change his long-term status with the team. It does, though, underline how quickly the situation around the seat has moved. Ferrari junior Rafael Camara is expected to replace Ocon next year, which gives Haas a clear sense of where its driver lineup is headed beyond this season. For now, the team has made Hirakawa the active driver for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend and pushed Ocon out of the car after Friday’s pair of practice sessions. The result is a late-weekend shift that connects a one-off opportunity for Hirakawa with the broader transition already forming around Haas’ future lineup.
