Haas needs Brazil Grand Prix replacement with Hirakawa unlikely
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 2, 2026
Ocon benching
Haas still has a vacancy to fill for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after Ryo Hirakawa was ruled unlikely to be available for Brazil. The team had already turned to Hirakawa as the replacement for Esteban Ocon at the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, where Haas benched Ocon and put its reserve driver in the car. Hirakawa was set to make his Formula 1 debut in Ocon’s seat, a move that gave Haas a short-term answer while it waited for clarity on the French driver’s status. That clarity never fully arrived. It remained unclear whether Ocon would return later in the season, and the team’s options for Brazil have now become part of the story as the calendar moves on.
The latest complication comes from Hirakawa’s schedule. He is unlikely to be available for the Brazilian Grand Prix because it clashes with the World Endurance Championship finale at Monza. That leaves Haas in the same position it faced when the Mexico City decision first came together, looking for another stand-in if Ocon stays out. The team has already had to make one change, and the timing gives it little room to settle on a second one. Ocon is already scheduled to leave Haas at the end of the season, which adds another layer to the situation but does not solve the immediate problem of who gets the seat in Brazil. For now, Haas still needs to identify a replacement for Brazil.
Ocon dispute
The benching came after a difficult weekend for Ocon and Haas. The team gave no official reason for removing him from the lineup, and Ayao Komatsu said Ocon was not taken out because he was sick. The issue reportedly began during Friday practice when Ocon disagreed with a change to his run plan. Haas had decided to abandon a Soft-tire run in FP2, and that shift in direction became the flash point inside the garage. Ocon later said there had been a difference in viewpoints over the situation, a brief phrase that captured the split without adding much detail. He also denied allegations of physical altercation or physical violence, drawing a firm line under the most serious claims linked to the weekend.
The way Haas handled the move showed how quickly a planned weekend can change in Formula 1. Haas needed a driver and Ocon was unavailable for the race weekend. That made the Mexico City round a practical fix, but it also left the team with unanswered questions about the rest of the season. Ocon’s removal was not explained publicly by the team, and that silence made the switch more striking. The facts around the weekend point to a team and driver that did not see the run plan the same way, then had to move on to the next race with the fallout still hanging over them.
Brazil replacement
Haas now has to choose again if Ocon remains unavailable for Sao Paulo. Jack Doohan is the likeliest candidate for the Brazilian Grand Prix, which gives the team a clear front-runner if it wants to avoid another scramble. Ferrari junior Rafael Camara is also in the frame as a possible option for Brazil, giving Haas at least one more route if it wants to look beyond a single name. The team has already confirmed that Camara will replace Ocon in 2027, so his presence in the discussion fits into a broader connection between driver planning now and driver planning for the future. That confirmation does not change the immediate need. It only shows that Haas already sees Camara as part of its longer-term picture.
The current situation leaves Haas balancing short-term necessity with long-term order. Ocon’s season remains in doubt after the Mexico City benching, Hirakawa is unlikely to be free for Brazil and the team needs a reliable substitute if the French driver stays out. Doohan sits closest to the seat based on the facts available, while Camara remains a live alternative and a confirmed part of Haas’ future line. The team’s next move will answer only one race weekend at a time. Brazil now stands as the next test of how Haas manages a sudden driver change, a limited pool of replacements and an unresolved situation with one of its full-time drivers.
