Esteban Ocon has been withdrawn from the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend by Haas, with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa taking his place for qualifying and Sunday’s race. The American-owned team has not given a reason for the late change, although it confirmed that the French driver is not ill.
The decision leaves Ocon, who is due to depart Haas at the end of the season, facing an abrupt end to his latest appearance for the team. Haas recently announced that Brazilian youngster Rafael Camara will take over his seat after Ocon’s two-year spell with the squad. No further explanation was offered alongside the announcement of Hirakawa’s promotion.
A sudden change in the Haas line-up
Hirakawa had already been in the Haas car during Friday’s opening practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. That outing had been arranged in advance as part of the team’s required opportunities for rookie drivers, rather than as a response to Ocon’s later removal. The Japanese driver will now make his first Formula One qualifying appearance and his first grand prix start.
Haas confirmed the switch in a short statement:
“TGR Haas F1 Team reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa will replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix, Saturday 31 October - Sunday 1 November.”
The timing means Hirakawa will have to move quickly from a planned practice contribution to the central competitive role in the team. He will contest qualifying before lining up for a full Formula One race, having previously appeared in nine practice sessions. His most recent session before the change came on Friday morning in Mexico City.
Ocon had questioned tyre call in practice
Ocon’s final running before the announcement had included a visible disagreement over Haas’s tyre strategy. The Frenchman had expected to complete his race simulation on the softer compound, but the plan was altered after team-mate Oliver Bearman flat-spotted his own soft tyres. Haas instead asked Ocon to use the medium tyre.
During the exchange with race engineer Laura Mueller, Ocon was heard pleading: “don’t do this to me”, after being told about the alteration to his run plan. The practice incident was the most recent publicly reported development involving Ocon before Haas confirmed that he would not drive for the rest of the weekend. The team has not stated whether that discussion had any connection to the decision.
| Driver | Position at Mexico City | Relevant detail |
|---|---|---|
| Esteban Ocon | Withdrawn by Haas | Leaving the team at the end of the season |
| Ryo Hirakawa | Haas replacement | Set for his first F1 qualifying session and race |
| Rafael Camara | Future Haas driver | Signed to replace Ocon after the season |
Hirakawa brings substantial endurance experience
Although the 32-year-old has yet to start a Formula One race, Hirakawa arrives with a significant record in endurance competition. He is a two-time FIA World Endurance Championship winner, taking the title in 2022 and 2023, and also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
That background will now be tested in Formula One’s most compressed format. Hirakawa’s previous appearances have been limited to practice running, whereas Mexico City will require him to manage the full demands of qualifying and a grand prix in a Haas car he has had limited competitive time in. The opportunity is nevertheless the clearest step yet in his Formula One career.
For Ocon, the withdrawal adds an unexpected turn to a season already defined by a confirmed change of team. He had been due to continue the Mexico City weekend before Haas replaced him, but the squad has provided no reason beyond confirming that the driver is not suffering from illness. The focus now moves to Hirakawa, who must convert a scheduled practice appearance into a first grand prix start.
- Haas have removed Ocon from the remainder of the Mexico City weekend.
- Hirakawa will make his F1 qualifying and race debut for the team.
- Ocon is set to leave Haas after the season, with Rafael Camara signed as his replacement.
