Ryo Hirakawa’s Austrian Grand Prix FP1 outing has given Haas a clean rookie-session banked on a day when Formula 1’s mandated practice mileage reshaped the Red Bull Ring entry list.
The Japanese driver took over Esteban Ocon’s VF-26 for Friday’s opening hour, his first FP1 run of the 2026 season and seventh official practice appearance overall. Formula 1 listed six rookie drivers in the session, with Ferrari, Racing Bulls, Haas, Williams, Audi and Aston Martin all making line-up changes.
Suited for FP1! Ryō is ready to get behind the wheel of Esteban’s VF-26.
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) June 26, 2026
Haas Gets Its Rookie Obligation Moving
Hirakawa’s pace was never the central measure. The value for Haas sat in installation work, correlation and calm feedback during a compressed weekend where teams were also managing upgrades, track temperature and reliability interruptions.
Formula 1’s report recorded Kimi Antonelli fastest from George Russell and Oscar Piastri, while Hirakawa completed the order ahead of Jak Crawford, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso. That placed Haas’ reserve inside the difficult traffic pattern of a session repeatedly shaped by red flags and interrupted programmes.
For Haas, the run still matters. Hirakawa brings Toyota World Endurance Championship experience and previous FP1 mileage, giving Ayao Komatsu’s team a mature reference point rather than a speculative junior audition. Read Motorsport has already tracked how Haas test opportunities can become audition territory; Austria now adds another data point to that wider reserve-driver strategy.
