Rio Hirakawa will replace Okon at the training in Austria.

      Haas F1 is preparing for the Austrian Grand Prix, and the team's press service reports that Rio Hirakawa will pilot Esteban Ocon's car during the first practice session at the Red Bull Ring. For the Japanese driver, who serves as the team's reserve driver, this will be his first such experience in 2026, but last season he replaced Oliver Berman and Esteban Ocon during practice four times.

      Ayo Komatsu, team principal: "The results of the last two races have disappointed us, but at this stage of the season, there will be quite a few races in a relatively short period of time, which is a plus. We now have the Austrian and British Grands Prix ahead of us, separated by a week.

      Of course, they will take place on two very different tracks, but in both cases, it’s an opportunity to gather new information about the characteristics of the VF-26 car. We will entrust the first practice session at the Red Bull Ring to Rio – it will be useful to know his impressions since he hasn't driven this car yet. He returned to the team shortly after he and Toyota stood on the podium at Le Mans following the WEC race, and we were happy for him! This season, Hirakawa is performing an important part of the TPC program (testing cars from previous years).

      As I mentioned, we are preparing for four races that will take place over five weekends. There is a lot of work to do, but we are ready for the challenges. We need to continue improving all production processes and strive to show good results, and we know we are capable of that.

      The team has scored points in four of the first five races of the season, and now we need to return to our previous level of stability."

      Rio Hirakawa: "First of all, I want to thank Toyota Gazoo Racing and the Haas F1 team for this opportunity. This will be my first practice session of the 2026 season, and I haven't driven at the Red Bull Ring in a long time. I believe this is the perfect track for my first experience behind the wheel of the VF-26 because it has everything – straight sections, as well as corners of different characteristics, both slow and fast. I anticipate an interesting experience ahead.

      I am looking forward to it, and I can't wait to hit the track, as the session lasts only 60 minutes, which is very short. The task is to adapt to the car as quickly as possible and gather as much information as I can – I will try to help the team as effectively as possible."

      Oliver Berman: "We have the last double-header races ahead of the August break, and the team needs to wrap up many matters before we can go on summer vacation with a sense of satisfaction.

      All of us have rich experience racing at both the Austrian and British tracks, and we need to prepare for each of the two weekends, clearly understanding the goals we have set for ourselves in order to achieve them.

      I know that everyone in the team is working with incredible determination, and I feel that with each passing day we are gathering more information. The task is simply to bring everything together and deliver consistent results.

      Driving at the Red Bull Ring is interesting and fun; it is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, and we should also note the special beauty of the local landscapes – nothing like this is found at other races of the season."

      Esteban Ocon: "We are returning to Austria, where we will compete at one of the classic tracks on the calendar. The Red Bull Ring features an organic layout, diverse corners, and a significant elevation change, making it exciting to drive there.

      Moreover, the Austrian province has a unique atmosphere, and the local fans always give us a warm welcome and great support.

      We have prepared well for this weekend, continuing to work with the engineers and practicing on the simulator. We understand how important it is to start the weekend confidently, act decisively, and build momentum as we approach qualifying and the race."