Doohan replaced by Hirakawa at Alpine for Suzuka F...

Ryo Hirakawa will drive Jack Doohan’s Alpine in opening observe for this weekend’s 2025 Components 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

The Toyota World Endurance Championship champion has joined Alpine as a reserve driver for the season after fulfilling the identical function at McLaren final yr.

Hirakawa made his F1 weekend debut on the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, changing Oscar Piastri in a McLaren MCL38.

“I am very excited, I can’t wait to drive the A525 in Free Observe 1 this weekend,” the Japanese driver stated in an Alpine staff assertion, as he fulfills the primary of 4 obligatory rookie outings in grands prix per staff this yr – two in every automobile.

“I’m wanting again to 18 years in the past to 2007, the primary time I went to look at the Japanese Grand Prix, it was a distinct monitor, Fuji, but it surely was Components 1 in Japan. Since then, I began my racing profession and now to drive in the course of the weekend goes to be a dream come true, I simply can’t wait.

“I’ve received all the things ready, we did simulator work in Enstone a number of days in the past and I’m going to benefit from the second.

“Hopefully the climate is sweet, it is going to be a brief session, however I’ll get pleasure from it and do my greatest for the staff to hopefully enter some course on set-up. I simply need to add my appreciation to everybody on the staff for the chance and assist.”

Doohan, who has began his rookie season below appreciable stress as a consequence of Alpine stockpiling reserve drivers, together with ex-Williams racer Franco Colapinto, acknowledged that Hirakawa “has a whole lot of expertise right here so it is going to be good to take a few of that data for the weekend”.

Hirakawa raced in Japan’s Tremendous Components between 2013 and 2023 – the nationwide single-seater championship that hits F1 speeds and races a number of instances a yr at Suzuka.

Motorsport.com understands that Hirakawa left McLaren’s reserve driver fold to affix Alpine as a result of he was provided a greater shot at in the future making an F1 bow as Piastri and Lando Norris are locked up at McLaren for a number of years.

Hirakawa is a double WEC champion with Toyota, with which he received the 2022 Le Mans 24 Hours on the very begin of the championship’s Hypercar period.

His Toyota deal additionally means he’s an unofficial reserve driver for Haas, which has a technical partnership with the Japanese producer, and has accomplished F1 end-of-season and Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) operating for the American squad in current months.