Ryo Hirakawa secured his first Formula 1 point on debut at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, following post-race penalties issued to both Alpine drivers. The Japanese driver, unexpectedly called up by Haas, finished 10th in the adjusted classification at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. This result marks a significant moment for Hirakawa and Haas.
Hirakawa’s debut came after Haas benched Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. Ocon’s removal from the car followed a reported altercation with team principal Ayao Komatsu and a tense radio exchange with his race engineer.
Esteban Ocon, who was already scheduled to depart Haas at the close of the 2026 season, issued a statement denying any physical violence in the disagreement. Haas has not provided further details regarding Ocon’s immediate future with the team.
Hirakawa, aged 32, became the oldest F1 debutant since André Lotterer in 2014. His career includes two FIA World Endurance Championship titles in 2022 and 2023, along with a 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans victory with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
The penalties that elevated Hirakawa into the points were applied to Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly. Both drivers were investigated by FIA stewards for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags during the race.
Colapinto, who initially finished eighth, received a 10-second time penalty for an infringement under a single yellow flag. Gasly, originally 10th, was handed a stop-and-go penalty, converted to a 30-second time penalty, for a double yellow flag infraction.
These penalties dropped Colapinto to 15th and Gasly to 17th in the final race results, costing Alpine the five points they had provisionally scored. Both drivers have since apologised for the loss of points.
The revised classification also saw McLaren’s Oscar Piastri receive a 10-second post-race penalty for a clash with Arvid Lindblad. This further reshuffled the points-paying positions.
The final top 10 results for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix are as follows: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) secured the victory, followed by Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) in second. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) finished third, clinching the 2026 F1 World Championship.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was fourth, with Lando Norris (McLaren) fifth and George Russell (Mercedes) sixth. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) was promoted to seventh, Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) to eighth, and Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) to ninth.
Hirakawa’s promotion to 10th place secured a crucial point for Haas. This unexpected outcome highlights the impact of post-race steward decisions on the championship standings.
Hirakawa expressed his satisfaction with the debut, stating his focus was on finishing the race and learning from the experience. He noted increased confidence with soft tyres after safety car periods.
Alpine is competing with Mercedes power units and gearboxes from the 2026 season. Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly are confirmed as the team’s drivers for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
