Rio Hirakawa – reserve driver of Haas F1

      Rio Hirakawa, who drives for Toyota GAZOO Racing in the FIA WEC, has signed a contract with the Haas F1 team, becoming the official reserve driver.

      The Japanese man got behind the wheel of cars from different Formula 1 teams. Last year, he had a Friday practice session with McLaren, worked with Haas F1 at the end of the season for tests in Bahrain, and last weekend he drove an Alpine F1 car in Suzuka, replacing Jack Duane.

      As a backup driver for Haas F1, Hirakawa will hold four more Friday practice sessions this season – in Bahrain and Mexico, he will drive Oliver Berman's car, and Esteban Ocon will lend him his car in Spain and Abu Dhabi.

      Rio Hirakawa: "I'm excited to join the Haas F1 Team, I really appreciate this opportunity and I'm looking forward to a new adventure. In Bahrain, I will get behind the wheel of the Haas F1 for the first time in the first practice session – it will be interesting to hit the track in two stages in a row in cars from different teams.

      I would like to thank Mr. Ayo Komatsu from MoneyGram Haas F1, Mr. Akio Toyoda from Toyota Motor Corporation and the Toyota GAZOO Racing team for this opportunity. I'm looking forward to getting started."

      Ayo Komatsu, Team Principal: "We are pleased to welcome Rio to Haas F1, and his experience will help us better understand and understand the VF-25. His feedback was very detailed in the post-season tests last year, so being able to give Rio valuable time on four different tracks this year will help the whole team.

      As part of our cooperation with Toyota GAZOO Racing, we are pleased to welcome new talented racers to the team. It's a real pleasure to work with a rider of this level."