Haas F1 reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa to make first 2026 FP1 appearance in Austria
TGR Haas F1 Team’s reserve driver, Ryo Hirakawa, will replace Esteban Ocon in a free practice session ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Hirakawa, currently competing for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, willl drive the VF-26 in Friday's opening practice session in Spielberg.
The 32-year-old Japanese driver participated in four practice sessions with Haas in 2025, and his outing on Friday will be his first of 2026 as part of the regulation regarding rookie drivers.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank Toyota Gazoo Racing and TGR Haas F1 Team for this opportunity,” Hirakawa commented after the announcement.
“It’s going to be my first FP1 session of the season, and it’s been a while since I’ve driven around the Red Bull Ring.”
The Banbury Guardian watched on in April as Hirakawa drove the Haas VF-25 from last season, at the testing of a previous car at Silverstone.
Now, just over two months later, Hirakawa is getting the opportunity to make his mark in Haas’ latest challenger, during an official F1 weekend.
Hirakawa, keen to seize the moment, added: “I think it’s the perfect track for me to drive the VF-26 for the first time because it has everything.
“It has straight lines as well as low and high-speed corners, so it's going to be a fun experience.
“I’m really excited and I can’t wait to get in there as a 60-minute practice session is so short.
“The aim is to get used to the car as fast as possible and to collect as much data so I can support the team in the best way I can.”
Once Hirakawa has completed his stint in FP1, Ocon will jump back in the VF-26 for FP2 and FP3, as well as for qualifying and the race.
Fellow Haas driver Ollie Bearman, who has scored 18 of the team’s 21 points so far this season, will not see his weekend disrupted.
The Austrian Grand Prix - a chance for Banbury outfit Haas to bounce back after a point-less previous round in Barcelona - gets underway at 2pm on Sunday, June 28.