Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa will make his F1 debut in qualifying and Sunday's race after Haas pulled Esteban Ocon from the rest of the weekend.
Haas dropped a surprise on its own race weekend, announcing on Saturday that Esteban Ocon will not drive for the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix. Reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa steps into the car for qualifying and Sunday's race instead, turning what looked like a routine weekend into his Formula 1 debut.
Hirakawa was not a stranger to the car. He drove FP1 on Friday, his third practice outing of the 2026 season, giving him at least some recent mileage before being thrown into a race weekend with almost no notice. The timing is notable given that the announcement landed just hours before qualifying, leaving little room for speculation to cool before fans and media started asking why.
The move adds another layer to an already uncertain situation at Haas. The team confirmed earlier this season that Ocon's run there ends after 2026, with Rafael Camara already locked in for that seat next year. Ocon himself had told reporters, including at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, that he expected to remain in F1 next season. Haas has not detailed why Ocon was pulled for this particular weekend, and the team's statement on Saturday was limited to confirming the driver change.