Ryo Hirakawa has joined𝓡 Haas as a reserve driver for the rest of the 2025 Formula 1 season after spending the last three months in the same role at Alpine.

As part of his new role, Hirakawa will participate in four practice sessions in the VF-25 this year, starting with this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix. He will make further FP1 appearances in Spain, Mexico and Abu Dhabi, with Haas relying entirel꧒y on him to complete its mandatory rookie running.

In Bahrain and Mexico, Hirakawa will take the place of rookie 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oliver Bearman, while 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Esteban Ocon will vไacate his seat for him in the o𒁏pening practice for Barcelona and Abu Dhabi weekends.

Hirakawa first linked up with Haas during last year’s post-se♚ason test in Abu Dhabi.

The American F1 team also has a technꦆical partnership with the world’s biggest car maker Toyota, the same manufacturer which has honed Hirakawa from his early days in junior racing.

The 31-year-old currently drives the factory Toyota GR010 Hybrid in the t𝓀op Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship.

“I’m excited to join MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, I reall🦄y appreciate this opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to a𒐪 new journey withthe team,” he said.

“I’m driving my f🅠irst 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 Ha𒁏as F1 Team, Morizo-san (Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation) and Toyota GAZOO Racing for this opportunity, it’s a ꩲnew challenge for me and I can’t wait to get started.”

Hirakawa joined Alpine as a reserve and test driver in January and made 𓆉his fir𝓰st practice appearance with the team in front of his home crowd at Suzuka last weekend.

H🐷owever, just a day after the Japanese Grand Prix, it 🦋was revealed that Hirakawa would split with the Renault brand to join forces with Haas.

Alpine still has Paul Aron, Franco Colapinto and Kush Maini as part of its reserve driver roster. Both Colapinto and Maini w𓆏ere promoted to the role after Hirakawa joined the progr𒊎amme in mid-January.

Haas is the thir🌄d F1 team Hirakawa has had an official role with, having also been a part of McLaren’s young driver programme between late 2023 and the end of the 2024 season.

McLaren handed him his first-weekend appearance at the Abu🔴 Dhabi Grand Prix last year.

“It’s great to welcome Ryō to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and have his experience bolster our knowledge and understanding of the VF-25ಞ,” shared Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas ꦯF1 Team.

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

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