Hirakawa joins Haas as reserve driver for 2025 in switch from Alpine

Ryo Hirakawa has been announced as the official reserve driver for Haas for the remainder of the 2025 season. The Japanese star had been part of Alpine’s stable, running in FP1 for the French team over the Japanese Grand Prix weekend in Suzuka.

But now the 31-year-old has been signed by Haas to provide back up to Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon for the rest of this year.

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Hirakawa has gathered F1 experience for a number of teams, including McLaren, while he has run in a number of practice sessions. He also drove for Haas in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi last December.

As well as his Haas reserve duties, Hirakawa currently competes for Toyota GAZOO Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and is also a 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, and two-time Hypercar Champion. He has further experience over multiple disciplines; including Super Formula and Super GT.

“I’m excited to join MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, I really appreciate this opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to a new journey with the team,” Hirakawa said.

“I’m driving my first FP1 session in Bahrain, so for me to have driven at two race weekends in a row is exciting, and I can’t wait to get to Bahrain. I would like to thank Komatsu-san, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, Morizo-san (Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation) and Toyota GAZOO Racing for this opportunity, it’s a new challenge for me and I can’t wait to get started.”

Hirakawa will be taking over Bearman’s cockpit this coming weekend in Bahrain, one of four FP1 outings he will have in the VF-25 this season.

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He will also drive in Spain in place of Ocon, before sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi later on in the autumn.

As for Alpine, they still have Franco Colapinto, Kush Maini and Paul Aron to call on should something happen to either of their current drivers.

“It’s great to welcome Ryo to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and have his experience bolster our knowledge and understanding of the VF-25,” said Ayo Komatsu, Haas’ Team Principal.

“His feedback was very detailed at the post-season test last year, so being able to provide Ryo valuable track time across four different circuits this year will help the entire team.

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“As part of our collaboration with Toyota GAZOO Racing, it’s great to welcome new talent into the team – it’s a real pleasure to work with a racer of his driving acumen.”

Haas sit sixth in the Teams’ Championship, with 15 points from the first three Grand Prix weekends. They have already brought new upgrades to the VF-25, which worked well in Japan and Hirakawa will be charged with testing out plenty of other new parts in the simulator over the course of the season.

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