Hirakawa Crashes Haas in Abu Dhabi Test Drama

The annual post-season test is set to take place on Tuesday at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. This marks the final time the 2025 cars will be in action before the focus shifts to the new Formula 1 era. While the regular drivers participate in a special tyre test with Pirelli, ten rookies will also get behind the wheel. However, for Haas reserve Ryo Hirakawa, the tests were short-lived: after 2.5 hours of trial driving, he parked the VF-25 into the wall at the first turn.

Ryo Hirakawa emerged unscathed from the crash, but Haas loses valuable test time due to this mishap. The American racing team now looks to regular drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman to salvage the day. Both are participating in a Pirelli tyre test. In a so-called mule car, they can get accustomed to the 2026 compounds, which are narrower at both the front and the back than in previous years.

The post-season test takes place two days after the concluding GP of Abu Dhabi. The test was first organized in 2009 and has been held annually at Yas Marina since 2010. Participation is not mandatory for current drivers, although drivers who are switching teams in 2026 can get accustomed to their new environment. For instance, Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar is already stepping in at Red Bull in preparation for his debut with the main team. In addition to the established names, young talents also get a chance to shine: each team is obliged to make one of the cars available to a rookie, defined as a driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts. The 31-year-old Ryo Hirakawa falls into this category.

Who will be in action during the post-season test?