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Hirakawa surprised by call-up to replace Ocon but disappointed by qualifying result | Formula 1

Ryo Hirakawa expressed shock after Haas unexpectedly promoted him to replace Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend. Although he served as a reserve driver, the sudden transition from practice sessions to a qualifying appearance required rapid preparation.

Hirakawa finished 19th in final practice, trailing teammate Oliver Bearman by half a second. During the qualifying session, that gap widened to 0.875 seconds, and the newcomer was unable to advance past the first round due to traffic on his final attempt.

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