Haas suddenly drops Esteban Ocon from Mexican GP and replaces him with Ryō Hirakawa
News Summary
- Haas has unexpectedly withdrawn Esteban Ocon from the remainder of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, replacing the Frenchman with reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa.
- The decision comes just hours after Ocon participated in Friday’s FP2, with the team making no suggestion in its post-practice report that he would miss the rest of the weekend.
- The FIA approved the substitution on Saturday morning, but the official document does not explain why Haas decided to remove Ocon.
Haas has made a surprise driver change midway through the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, removing Esteban Ocon from the remainder of the event and replacing him with Japanese reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa. The unexpected decision emerged on Saturday (31), less than a day after the Frenchman completed second practice and discussed his preparations for qualifying with the American team.
The move represents an abrupt change of plans for Haas, which had originally scheduled Hirakawa to participate only in Friday’s opening practice session. Ocon subsequently returned to the cockpit for FP2, completed 32 laps and was expected to continue driving throughout the weekend. Neither the team’s Friday report nor the FIA’s subsequent authorisation provides an explanation for his withdrawal.
Haas makes unexpected change after Ocon’s Friday practice appearance
The timing of the decision is particularly surprising because Haas had treated Ocon’s participation in the remainder of the weekend as routine following Friday’s running.
Hirakawa had been assigned the Frenchman’s car for FP1 as part of the team’s planned programme for reserve drivers, completing 30 laps and finishing 15th.
Ocon returned for FP2 and recorded a 1:18.774, finishing 13th, one position ahead of teammate Oliver Bearman.
Although he experienced a minor technical problem early in the session, Haas reported that the issue had been resolved quickly. The Frenchman subsequently completed his qualifying simulations and longer runs.
In its official Friday practice report, Haas confirmed that Ocon had completed his programme and was working with the engineers to improve the car before Saturday.
The Frenchman acknowledged that missing FP1 had complicated his preparations, but he did not suggest that his participation in the Grand Prix was in doubt.
“It’s always challenging when you miss out on a session, but Ryō did a good job and collected some valuable data,” Ocon said in the team’s official report.
He also explained that he was not yet entirely comfortable with the car and that adjustments would be necessary overnight.
Ocon specifically referred to preparing for FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, making his subsequent removal from the event all the more unexpected.
Komatsu had praised Haas’s progress before sudden substitution
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu also gave no indication on Friday that a driver change was being considered.
The Japanese executive praised the team’s initial performance in Mexico and highlighted the feedback provided by Hirakawa during FP1.
Komatsu said the reserve driver had confirmed improvements in the car’s consistency, predictability and stability following recent upgrades.
He also acknowledged the power unit problem that affected Bearman’s car during the opening session, forcing the team to replace the engine and other damaged components before FP2.
Despite those difficulties, Komatsu described Haas’s overall performance as reasonably competitive.
The team principal’s stated priority was to resolve the remaining problems overnight and prepare for the final practice session.
There was no reference to replacing Ocon or altering the team’s driver line-up for the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix.
The sudden change therefore raises questions about what happened between Friday evening and Saturday morning.
However, Haas has not provided a confirmed explanation for the decision in the official communications available at the time of publication.
FIA approves Hirakawa as replacement for remainder of Mexican GP
The substitution was formally confirmed through FIA Document 36, issued by the stewards at 08:35 local time on Saturday, October 31.
The document states that Haas requested permission to replace the driver of car number 31, Esteban Ocon.
The stewards granted permission under Article B1.7.2 of the 2026 Formula 1 Regulations, allowing Hirakawa to participate in the remainder of the competition.
Hirakawa will compete using car number 50, but must retain the engine and tyres originally allocated to Ocon.
The FIA also specified that the Japanese driver’s participation remains subject to the relevant scrutineering requirements.
The decision does not establish a sporting penalty for the substitution itself.
Crucially, the document does not identify the reason for Haas’s request.
It also does not state whether Ocon’s absence is related to a medical issue, a sporting decision or another circumstance.
The FIA authorisation applies specifically to the Mexican Grand Prix and does not establish any change to the team’s arrangements for subsequent races.
Ocon was already set to leave Haas at end of 2026
The unexpected development comes against the background of Ocon’s previously confirmed departure from Haas at the end of the season.
The Frenchman joined the American team in 2025 after leaving Alpine, bringing experience from more than a decade in Formula 1 and his victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.
However, the partnership did not develop as both sides had hoped.
Haas confirmed on September 30 that Ocon would leave the team following the conclusion of the 2026 championship.
At the time, Komatsu thanked the Frenchman for his contribution and stressed that the team intended to continue working with him throughout the remaining races.
The team principal also praised Ocon’s experience and technical feedback during the development of the VF-26 under Formula 1’s new regulations.
Ocon, meanwhile, made clear that he intended to remain committed to Haas until the end of the season.
His replacement for 2027 has already been confirmed, with Rafael Câmara selected to join Oliver Bearman.
Saturday’s decision does not establish that Ocon’s departure from Haas has been brought forward permanently.
The only confirmed change is that Hirakawa has been authorised to replace him for the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
Hirakawa gets unexpected opportunity after missing Haas race seat
The decision creates an unexpected opportunity for Hirakawa, who had previously been considered among the candidates for a full-time Haas seat in 2027.
The Japanese driver is closely associated with Toyota, which maintains a technical partnership with Haas.
Hirakawa has extensive experience in international motorsport, including victory at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans and two FIA World Endurance Championship titles with Toyota.
His Formula 1 programme has included several free practice appearances and testing opportunities with Haas.
Before Mexico, he had already driven the VF-26 during practice sessions in Austria and Hungary.
The Japanese driver also participated in Haas’s evaluation programme for its 2027 line-up, but the team ultimately selected Câmara.
His planned appearance in Mexico FP1 was therefore initially another opportunity to contribute to the team’s development work rather than preparation for a Grand Prix start.
Hirakawa finished Friday’s opening practice session 15th, completing 30 laps with a best time of 1:19.982.
He subsequently praised the progress Haas had made since his previous appearance in Hungary, highlighting improvements in the car’s behaviour.
The unexpected promotion now gives him the opportunity to participate in qualifying and potentially make his Formula 1 Grand Prix debut.
Haas faces compressed preparation before Mexico qualifying
Hirakawa’s promotion leaves Haas with limited time to prepare the Japanese driver for the remaining sessions.
Although he completed 30 laps in FP1, he did not participate in Friday’s second practice session, when teams carried out qualifying simulations and longer runs.
Ocon completed that programme instead, leaving Hirakawa with less recent information about the car’s behaviour on different tyre compounds and fuel loads.
The challenge is amplified by the characteristics of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, which sits approximately 2,240 metres above sea level.
The reduced air density affects aerodynamic performance, engine cooling and the balance of the cars through the circuit’s slower corners.
Haas will also need to ensure that Hirakawa satisfies the FIA’s technical and sporting requirements before participating in the remaining sessions.
The team’s other driver, Bearman, continues his weekend as originally planned.
The British driver finished ninth in FP1 before placing 14th in FP2, with Haas working to understand the changes in his car’s behaviour between the sessions.
Will Ocon return for the São Paulo Grand Prix?
The FIA’s decision concerns only the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix, leaving Ocon’s participation in the following round unresolved.
Formula 1 travels to Brazil for the São Paulo Grand Prix on November 8, followed by Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Haas has not announced whether Hirakawa’s substitution will extend beyond Mexico.
Nor has the team confirmed any amendment to its previously announced plan for Ocon to remain with the organisation until the end of the championship.
The final practice session in Mexico takes place on Saturday at 11:30 local time, followed by qualifying at 15:00.
Sunday’s Grand Prix begins at 14:00 local time, equivalent to 20:00 GMT in the United Kingdom and 15:00 EST on the United States East Coast.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
FAQ
Why has Haas dropped Esteban Ocon from the Mexican Grand Prix?
Haas requested permission to replace Ocon with Ryō Hirakawa for the remainder of the weekend. The team has not provided a confirmed explanation for the decision in the official information available.
Who is replacing Esteban Ocon at Haas in Mexico?
Japanese reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa has been authorised by the FIA to take over Ocon’s entry, subject to the necessary scrutineering requirements.
Has Esteban Ocon left Haas before the end of 2026?
There is no confirmation that Ocon’s departure has been brought forward permanently. His previously announced exit remains scheduled for the end of 2026, while the FIA decision applies only to the Mexican Grand Prix.
