A (very) late bloomer could finally get a shot in Formula 1

At 30 years old, Ryo Hirakawa is getting experience in a Formula 1 car as a reserve driver for McLaren and a test driver for Haas. The Japanese driver participated in the first free practice session ahead of this past weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit and plans to drive for Haas in the post-season test, which is also scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.

Hirakawa did fairly well during his free practice outing, finishing in P14 and roughly 1.5 seconds behind McLaren's Lando Norris on the top of the speed charts. It is safe to say that the Japanese driver’s Formula 1 debut looked good in the eyes of others and could be the beginning of something more significant.

Hirakawa has found great success in the FIA World Endurance Championship, as he was crowned champion in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023. Further involvement in Formula 1 could lead to another Japanese driver being on the grid, despite his age.

Can Hirakawa still get a full-time Formula 1 drive?

It would certainly be a challenge for him, as it would not be through the traditional route of Formula 3 and Formula 2. However, the tricenarian could find some benefit from teams who do not currently boast deep junior driver programs.

At the moment, the only teams with which Hirakawa might have a chance to land a ride in 2026 or 2027 are Sauber (Audi), Haas, and possibly Aston Martin. Sauber and Haas are both set to have entirely new driver lineups in 2025, while Aston Martin plan to continue with their current lineup of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.

Given the fact that Gabriel Bortoleto’s contract with Sauber is only for one year, plus the fact that he is set to retain his ties to McLaren, his performance will certainly be monitored closely during his rookie season next year.

In the event that the Brazilian driver does not perform up to the team’s standard, Mattia Binotto could potentially turn to Hirakawa, should the team be unable to poach a junior driver from another team. Hirakawa could also be considered a potential replacement for Nico Hulkenberg in 2027 if the German driver chooses to no longer continue in Formula 1.

Haas is another possibility, given where they could stand on junior drivers a few years from now. In the event that Oliver Bearman gets promoted to Ferrari after Lewis Hamilton’s retirement, it could come down to Hirakawa and Dino Beganovic. Beganovic will likely be entering his first full-time season in Formula 2 next year.

Aston Martin is another potential destination for Hirakawa, but they appear to be the least likely of his three main possibilities. Both Stroll and Alonso are under contract until the end of the 2026 season, and the future of the team beyond that is still in question.

Odds are that Jak Crawford, a member of the Aston Martin Driver Development Programme, will get promoted to the team eventually. With Honda set to become the power unit supplier for Aston Martin in 2026, they could have some influence over who could drive for the team as well.

The top option for them would probably be Yuki Tsunoda, who very well could be dumped by RB and Red Bull the second their partnership with Honda ends. But if Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is unable to secure Tsunoda's signature, he could turn to Hirakawa, provided no other enticing options are available.