“Wollen ihn unterstützen”: Toyota’s sports director Masaya Kaji explains the background to Ryo Hirakawa’s surprising move to Alpine
The move of Toyota driver Ryo Hirakawa to Alpine as a test and reserve driver has caused some confusion. After all, the Japanese carmaker Toyota has had a technical partnership with Haas since 2024. Just a few weeks ago, Hirakawa was testing for Haas and McLaren. How does his new role at Alpine fit into this picture?
Kaji explains: “Alpine made us an offer for Hirakawa directly.” This makes Hirakawa an explicitly desired driver for the team, which already has two other test and reserve drivers under contract in Paul Aron and Franco Colapinto.
According to Kaji, Hirakawa was also seeking a career change: “He had expressed a desire to take on a challenge as a driver and to aim for a regular cockpit. We decided to prioritize Hirakawa’s wishes. The opportunity at Alpine fits with his ambitions.”
Toyota still wants to place drivers at Haas
But couldn’t Hirakawa have received such an opportunity at Toyota’s partner Haas as well? Kaji only indirectly answers this question: “Ryo has made a strategic decision for his future career and is focusing on the best opportunity to get a regular cockpit one day.”
Kaji emphasizes that Hirakawa’s decision has no impact on Toyota’s further Formula One plans: “We remain firmly committed to promoting talented drivers.” In particular, the collaboration with Haas is to be intensified in this context.
“Our partnership with Haas includes joint driver development activities, and we will focus on delivering on that promise,” explains Kaji.
Currently, Japan is represented by a regular driver in Formula 1: Yuki Tsunoda has been driving for AlphaTauri since 2021, which now operates under the name Racing Bulls. The last Japanese driver to compete in Formula One was Kamui Kobayashi, who raced in 2014. Takuma Sato remains the most successful Japanese Formula One driver, reaching eighth place in the overall standings in 2004.