# Hirakawa replaces Ocon for Mexico City Grand Prix

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/hirakawa-replaces-ocon-for-mexico-city-grand-prix/
- Published: 2026-10-31T15:05:11+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-31T16:50:21+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/crwydk35zlnvo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Americas, Motorsport, Sport, World

## Key points

- Hirakawa replaces Ocon for the rest of the Mexico weekend.
- Haas has not explained the decision.
- Ocon’s race seat for next year remains uncertain.

## Summary

Haas have replaced Esteban Ocon with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa for the rest of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, after Ocon took part in Friday practice. The team has not explained the decision, which comes amid uncertainty over Ocon’s future and follows a disagreement with his race engineer about tyre strategy.

Hirakawa, 32, will make his Grand Prix debut after driving Ocon’s car in Friday’s first practice; he has twice won the World Endurance Championship with Toyota, Haas’s technical partner and title sponsor. Haas said Ocon’s replacement was not due to illness and declined to say whether Friday’s exchange was connected. Ocon is leaving Haas at the end of the year and is seeking a seat, while Brazilian rookie Rafael Camara is set to replace him.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.