Haas drop Esteban Ocon for Mexico City GP without explanation; Ryo Hirakawa to make F1 debut
Haas have replaced Esteban Ocon with reserve Ryo Hirakawa for the rest of the Mexico City GP, saying he is not ill and giving no reason for the change.
At a glance
- Haas announced on Saturday, October 31, 2026, that reserve Ryo Hirakawa will replace Esteban Ocon for the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.
- The team gave no reason, confirmed Ocon is not ill, and said no further statement would be made for now.
- On Friday Ocon complained over team radio about a change to his tyre plan, saying 'don't do this to me'.
- Hirakawa, 32, a Le Mans winner with Toyota, will make his qualifying and race debut.
- Ocon was already leaving Haas at the end of 2026, with Rafael Camara taking his seat.
Haas have taken Esteban Ocon out of the Mexico City Grand Prix with two days of the weekend left, replacing him with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa and offering no explanation. The team confirmed the Frenchman is not ill, and said no further statement would be made for now.
Hirakawa will drive in final practice, qualifying and Sunday's 71-lap race alongside Oliver Bearman. At 32, he will make his Formula 1 race debut, and he becomes the oldest driver to start a first F1 race since Andre Lotterer in Belgium in 2014.
"Don't do this to me": what happened on Friday
Haas have not linked the decision to anything specific. But the most visible sign of tension came in Friday's second practice, when Ocon was told his run plan had changed.
He had been due to do a race simulation on soft tyres. Bearman had flat-spotted his own soft set, so the team wanted Ocon on the medium compound instead. "Don't do this to me," Ocon said to his race engineer, Laura Mueller, and questioned the call. He finished the session 13th.
Whether that exchange led to the change has not been confirmed by the team or the driver.
Two sick drivers, but this is not a third
The paddock has already had an unusual weekend. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli was excused from media duties with a viral bug, and Sergio Perez, the home favourite, sat out Friday through illness. Haas's statement that Ocon is not unwell separates his absence from those two.
Ocon's future was already settled. Haas recently confirmed he will leave at the end of 2026 after two seasons, with Brazilian youngster Rafael Camara taking the seat. His performances had not improved enough this year to earn a new deal, and team principal Ayao Komatsu had said after last season that he expected more from the one-time grand prix winner. What is new is that his departure may have come forward by a race, or several. The team's statement covers only this weekend.
Who is Ryo Hirakawa?
| Ryo Hirakawa | |
|---|---|
| Age | 32 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Haas role | Reserve driver since 2025 |
| F1 practice outings | Nine before this weekend's race debut |
| Friday in Mexico | 15th in first practice, in Ocon's car |
| Sportscar record | Le Mans 24 Hours winner (2022), World Endurance champion with Toyota |
The Friday outing was already planned, as one of the rookie sessions that F1 teams must run each season. Hirakawa had also been on the list of candidates for Ocon's 2027 seat before it went to Camara.
The call-up comes with a tight schedule. He is due to fight for the World Endurance Championship title with Toyota a week after this race.
When to watch in Pakistan
Qualifying is at 2:00 am Pakistan time on Sunday, and the race starts at 1:00 am on Monday, November 2. Antonelli can clinch the world title on Sunday after leaving Austin 123 points clear, which would make him the youngest champion in the sport's history. Hirakawa's first job is simply to get through qualifying without error.
