Just before the opening of the Tokyo Auto Salon (January 10 to 12, 2025), the BWT Alpine F1 team announces that it has signed Ryō Hirakawa. One might wonder where Alpine is going and what Toyota is doing with F1.
You will tell us: What does this have to do with Toyota? Well Ryō Hirakawa (30 years old) is a Toyota Gazoo Racing driver who has been with the manufacturer for more than 12 years. During this time, he competed in Super Formula and Super GT, an obligatory course for a Japanese. But he also switched to endurance and is now in the WEC.
His current record is not bad (euphemism) with intermediate championships in GT, or final podiums in single-seaters, as well as the 2022 24 hours of Le Mans or the 2022 and 2023 WEC titles. However, it must be admitted that he does not doesn’t seem like a potential Formula 1 driver. At 30 years old, that would have been known and other teams would have been interested in him, right?
At Alpine, he integrates the pool test and reserve pilots. He will drive in the simulator, but also in old Alpine / Renault F1 cars. Above all, he will take part in Free Practice #1 of the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix in this season’s A525.
What is the purpose of a test and reserve pilot?
The role assigned to Ryō Hirakawa is a bit thankless. Of course we are in F1, but we watch it pass in front of us. The main goal is to improve the team simulator by comparing its behavior with the real behavior of the cars at least 2 seasons ago. This helps to understand and understand the car of the current season.
However, we are here on a paid pilot. Toyota is lining up the tickets to put its colt in an F1 car at the Japanese GP. We can therefore legitimately ask the question of what Alpine is doing. Is the goal of the current leaders purely accounting and therefore any bag of tickets is good to take? No doubt.
-So call back Maldonado!
Toyota, the temptation to return to F1
As for Toyota, we know that the manufacturer is partnering with Haas for this season. Toyota Cologne has a lot of cutting-edge equipment and above all has great know-how in motorsport. But, we would expect the manufacturer to place a “young person” from its sector and not a 30-year-old driver. Apart from thanking him and making him happy, we don’t see much.
In 2024, Hirakawa was a reserve driver for McLaren. He took part in a free practice session with the Papaya. Then he took part in beginner tests with Haas at the end of the season. Obviously, this is all a multi-cushion billiards game. Toyota, Hitech (Oliver Oakes is the boss of Hitech and Alpine F1 editor’s note), Haas…F1 but also Formula 2.
Toyota seems to be getting more and more involved in F1. But without really saying it or making it official. It remains a mystery: will they go or will they not go? And for Alpine, the rumors continue well with Jack Doohan who would only be guaranteed to play half of the season. The sword of Damocles hanging over your head with Colapinto ready to take his seat at any moment? Very calm for good team results!
