Hirakawa assesses 'dream' F1 debut in Mexico City

Ryo Hirakawa described his Formula 1 debut at the Mexico City Grand Prix as a dream come true after finishing P13 on the road and subsequently being promoted into the points. Stepping in as a late replacement for Esteban Ocon at Haas on Saturday morning, the 32-year-old Japanese driver qualified P19 and navigated a challenging 71-lap race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez to achieve his primary goal of seeing the chequered flag. Following post-race time penalties for Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto, and Pierre Gasly, Hirakawa was elevated to P10, joining the exclusive club of drivers to score points on their F1 debut. Reflecting on the race, Hirakawa admitted he exercised caution at the start to ensure he finished and gained valuable experience, while noting his performance improved significantly on the C5 tyres after the Safety Car. Haas has not yet confirmed their driver line-up for the upcoming weekend in Brazil, with Hirakawa originally scheduled to compete for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship. Regardless of whether he makes another start, Hirakawa expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity, emphasizing that he simply wanted to savour the moment of achieving his lifelong dream.