Ryo Hirakawa qualifies 19th in first Formula 1 start for Haas
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 1, 2026
Hirakawa debut
Hirakawa will make his Formula 1 race debut for Haas at the Mexico City Grand Prix, replacing Esteban Ocon for the rest of the weekend. The 32-year-old Japanese driver arrives with years of high-level racing behind him, but this weekend gives him his first chance to turn that background into a Formula 1 result. Hirakawa said his focus for the race was a good start and a clean first corner, the kind of simple target that can shape a debut before the field settles into rhythm. His qualifying spot leaves him room to climb, but it also gives him a clear benchmark in a race that will test how quickly he can adjust to life in the cockpit with the stakes raised. Hirakawa became Formula 1’s oldest debutant since Andre Lotterer, who was also 32 when he appeared at the Belgian Grand Prix. That comparison underscores how long his road to the grid has been and how rare this opportunity is. He has spent years around Formula 1 without ever making a race start, and Haas is now giving him the seat he has spent so long chasing.
Hirakawa career
Hirakawa’s route to this weekend started in karting and moved through a string of championships that built his resume step by step. He began karting in 2007, won the All-Japan Junior Kart Championship the next year and then took the Japanese Formula 3 title in 2012. Those results opened the door to more prominent opportunities in sports car and endurance racing, where he continued to add to his record. He won the Super GT GT500 championship in 2017, then added the World Endurance Championship drivers’ title in 2022. He also helped Toyota win the Le Mans 24 Hours in both 2022 and 2023, a pair of victories that reinforced his status as a proven racer on a major stage. That background matters because Hirakawa is not arriving as a raw rookie learning the basics of racecraft for the first time. He has spent years in competitive machinery, adapted to different formats and built a reputation across multiple series. Before this debut, he also served as a reserve or test driver for McLaren, Alpine and Haas, and he made several Formula 1 Free Practice 1 appearances. Each step gave him more exposure to the demands of the sport, but none of them matched the pressure of a full grand prix start. This weekend gives him that test for the first time.
Hirakawa background
Hirakawa was born in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, and his career has followed a steady climb from local roots to an international platform. The path has taken time, but the milestones show how much ground he has covered. From karting in 2007 to titles in Japanese Formula 3 and Super GT, then on to endurance racing success and Formula 1 reserve work, he has put together a broad racing portfolio. That variety gives him a different kind of experience from a driver who arrives through a single, direct feeder path. It also explains why his first Formula 1 start comes at 32, after years of building a case rather than breaking through early. Hirakawa’s personal life is grounded as well. He is married to Nagisa and has a daughter named Lara. The family background adds another layer to a debut that has been years in the making, though the focus this weekend stays on the job in the car. Haas has inserted an experienced hand into the lineup for the Mexico City Grand Prix, and Hirakawa now has the chance to show how his endurance pedigree translates to Formula 1. If he gets the launch he wants and keeps the opening corner clean, he can give himself room to settle in and make the most of the opportunity.
