The Haas F1 team has announced it has signed Ryo Hirakawa As the 2025 reserve driver, following the move of the Toyota endurance driver, Alpine .
Hirakawa was included in Alpine's list of reserve drivers for this year and participated in the first practice session on Friday in Japan instead. Jack Doohan However, as part of Toyota’s technical partnership with Haas, Hirakawa will now transition to the American squad for the rest of the season.
Hirakawa will handle all four rookie FP1 slot assignments for Haas beginning with this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, taking over Oliver Bearman's vehicle. This 31-year-old driver from Japan will also substitute for Bearman during the race in Mexico and will step in elsewhere as needed. Esteban Ocon In Barcelona and Abu Dhabi for FP1.
“I’m excited to join Haas F1 Team I genuinely value this chance and am eagerly anticipating embarking on a fresh journey with the team," he stated. "It’s thrilling for me to be participating in my inaugural FP1 session in Bahrain, and having driven at back-to-back race weekends is incredibly exciting. I'm counting down the days until we reach Bahrain.
I want to express my gratitude to team principal Ayao Komatsu-san, the Haas F1 Team, Morizo-san [Akio Toyoda, chairperson of Toyota Motor Corporation], and Toyota Gazoo Racing for providing this opportunity. It represents a fresh challenge for me, and I am eagerly looking forward to beginning.
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas VF-24
Image courtesy of: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Hirakawa's responsibilities in Formula 1, which began with McLaren In 2023, along with conducting a Haas test in Abu Dhabi recently, these initiatives are part of Toyota’s strategy to showcase its leading driver talents for potential Formula One career paths. This move comes as Toyota, the major Japanese automaker, has been missing from the world of Formula One as an official team participant since exiting at the conclusion of 2009.
Rather than focusing elsewhere, Toyota has consistently participated in the FIA World Endurance Championship and particularly excelled at its prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours race. In 2022, Hirakawa secured victory at this event alongside Toyota and has additionally earned two world championships in the premier class. Furthermore, he possesses extensive experience racing in Japan’s domestic Super Formula series for single-seaters.
It’s wonderful to greet Ryo joining the Haas F1 Team and leveraging his expertise to enhance our comprehension of the VF-25," stated team principal Komatsu. "Last season, during the post-season test, he offered extremely thorough insights, thus giving him substantial track time over four distinct circuits this year should prove beneficial for everyone involved.
Collaborating with Toyota Gazoo Racing allows us to bring fresh talent onboard, which is truly exciting. It's an honor to work alongside a driver who demonstrates such remarkable skill behind the wheel.
After Hirakawa left, Alpine still has three backup drivers available for this season – formerly Williams driver Franco Colapinto Paul Aron and Kush Maini.
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