MEXICO CITY (AP) — Haas is giving Ryo Hirakawa a Formula 1 race debut in Mexico on Sunday after announcing abruptly Saturday that he would replace veteran Esteban Ocon.
In a rare change part-way through an F1 weekend, Hirakawa will step in for Ocon for third practice and qualifying on Saturday and the race, as teammate to Oliver Bearman.
Haas did not explain the change in a brief statement, adding: “No further statements will be made at this time.”
Hirakawa, a former Le Mans 24-hour race winner for Toyota, had already driven first practice for Haas on Friday in Ocon's car.
At the time, it appeared Haas was simply fulfilling F1 requirements to give non-regular drivers track time in a set number of practice sessions each year. Hirakawa was 15th-fastest before Ocon got back in the car and went 13th-fastest in second practice.
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