Ryo Hirakawa won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022, finished on the podium there just two weeks ago, and has logged six FP1 sessions across Formula 1. Yet according to the FIA, he is still a rookie. Haas are delighted to take advantage of that particular quirk of the rulebook, slotting him into Esteban Ocon‘s VF-26 for FP1 at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
The Rule That Keeps On Giving
Every F1 team must run a designated rookie, defined as a driver with two or fewer Grand Prix starts, in at least two FP1 sessions per car across the season. Hirakawa has never started an F1 race, so the FIA paperwork says rookie, regardless of how many endurance championships he has won. It is, on paper, a regulation designed to develop emerging talent. In practice, it occasionally produces situations like this one, where a 30-year-old Toyota factory ace gets lumped in with the fresh-faced hopefuls.
That said, Haas are not exactly complaining. Hirakawa is their reserve driver, he is bankrolled by Toyota Gazoo Racing, which happens to be the team’s title sponsor, and he did all four of Haas’s mandatory FP1 runs in 2025 without incident. This is a working relationship that suits everyone involved.
What Hirakawa Actually Wants From Friday
Hirakawa, for his part, is keeping expectations firmly grounded.
“The goal is to get up to speed with the car as quickly as possible and collect as much data as I can to support the team.” – Ryo Hirakawa
Sensible. The Red Bull Ring is short, familiar, and relatively forgiving, which is precisely why teams tend to schedule these sessions in Austria. You are unlikely to bin the car, and the data gathered over a handful of laps is actually useful. It is not glamorous, but it is honest work. For more context on why this weekend carries extra weight, see our breakdown of what is really at stake at the Red Bull Ring in 2026.
The Rest of the Friday Rookies
Hirakawa will not be the only unfamiliar face in the pitlane. Paul Aron gets a run at Audi, Luke Browning takes the wheel at Williams, and Jak Crawford steps in at Aston Martin. FP1 starts at 11:30 UTC on Friday, check the calendar for your local time.
A Rookie Rule Worth Questioning
The mandatory rookie session is supposed to be a pathway for the next generation. When a driver of Hirakawa’s calibre fills the slot, it prompts a fair question: is the rule actually developing future F1 drivers, or is it simply giving well-connected reserve drivers their contractual exercise? The answer, most weeks, is probably both. Whether that is good enough is another matter entirely.
