The Formula 1 driver market drama has taken another unexpected turn following Ryo Hirakawa's sudden promotion to Esteban Ocon's seat at the Haas F1 team for the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. While the Japanese driver prepares to make his official Formula 1 debut starting from the final practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, his tenure in the car is expected to be extremely short-lived, paving the way for Jack Doohan to step in.
Haas sent shockwaves through the paddock by announcing that Ocon would take no further part in the remainder of the race weekend in Mexico. Although the team withheld specific reasons for the abrupt switch, they explicitly confirmed that the Frenchman is not ill. This sudden vacancy forced the American outfit to draft in their reserve driver, a move that undoubtedly delights major sponsor Toyota given Hirakawa's status within their motorsport hierarchy.
However, that temporary arrangement immediately creates a massive scheduling headache for the upcoming Brazil Grand Prix and the subsequent triple-header. Hirakawa is contractually expected at Monza for the season-ending World Endurance Championship round, meaning his appearance in Mexico is heavily rumored to be a one-off outing. This scheduling conflict leaves a vacant seat that places Jack Doohan squarely back into the spotlight as the leading candidate to take over.
Doohan, who began the season racing for Alpine before yielding his seat to Franco Colapinto after the opening six rounds, nearly secured a permanent drive with the American squad. Paddock insiders revealed that the Australian made a stellar impression during private TPC testing, though Haas ultimately decided to sign Rafael Camara for the 2027 season instead.
While external suggestions briefly pointed toward giving Camara an early taste of Formula 1 action following Ocon's premature departure, senior team figures agreed that throwing the young Brazilian in at the deep end would be premature. With Camara still locked in an intense battle for the Formula 2 championship title in the Middle East, the consensus remains that Doohan is the most logical choice to reclaim the race seat starting from the next round in Sao Paulo.
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