Driver who paid £2.5m for McLaren test targeting full-time F1 seat as plan explained

A driver who paid millions for a chance to test a Formula 1 car as now eyeing a full-time future in the sport. That is despite almost every seat on the 2026 grid already being confirmed - and there being far better-placed candidates for those that are still available.

Ryo Hirakawa is 31 years old and has never raced in F1. But he has become more active in the sport over the last 18 months having now appeared in free practice sessions representing several different teams. One of those appearances even came in a championship-winning McLaren, at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

But the Japanese driver and his backers Toyota had to open their wallets to make that happen. Evidence presented in the court case between McLaren and IndyCar champion Alex Palou this month revealed that the team received £2.6million in return for giving Hirakawa that 60-minute practice session, as well as two test drives in preparation.

Even though he does not have much F1 pedigree, there is no doubting that Hirakawa is a talented driver. He has won both the World Endurance Championship and its flagship event, the 24 Hour of Le Mans, representing Toyota and it is his links with the Japanese firm that have brought him to Haas.

The American F1 team also has a partnership with Toyota which has allowed them to develop their own testing programme. Hirakawa is their reserve driver as part of that arrangement and, speaking after he took part in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix, he made it clear he is looking for more.

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The 31-year-old said: "At the moment, I try to get a regular seat in the future. This is just a step, and hopefully it's going to happen, when I'm not too old."

Asked how realistic it is for him to land an F1 race seat given his age and lack of experience in the sport, Hirakawa replied: "I just believe. At the moment, I'm just doing my best, just proving I deserve [a chance]. It's not easy, of course, but I think I'm doing the right thing."

Haas have a locked-in driver line-up of Britain's Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon, both of whom have long-term contracts. Hirakawa will be 33 by the time the 2027 season begins and he is very unlikely to be in the frame for a race seat then, even if the driver market is expected to be volatile next year.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said of his fellow Japanese: "We've been working with him closely throughout the year, and then we've got a programme ready for next year as well, so we just have to see how he develops. For sure, he really understands the bigger picture objectives and he's doing a very, very professional job. We've just got to keep building onto that."