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Haas Advances F1 Driver Testing as Talent Evaluation Unfolds
Highlights
- Haas tested three drivers in 2025-spec VF-25 at Portimao.
- Ryo Hirakawa, Haas reserve, participated in six Free Practice sessions.
- Leonardo Fornaroli and Rafael Camara also evaluated in recent tests.
- Haas negotiating contract extensions for Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
- New Toyota partnership enables testing with older chassis from 2026.
- Team balances developing talent and retaining current drivers for 2027.
Haas wraps a three-day evaluation at Portimao, running its 2025-spec VF-25 with three drivers as it refines future options and prepares its line-up strategy for the 2027 season.
The programme uses Testing of Previous Cars rules to assess emerging talent. Haas previously faced limits on TPC activity, as outlined in its driver plans earlier this month.
Reserve Ryo Hirakawa headlines the running. The 2022 Le Mans winner has completed six FP1 outings for Haas, most recently in Hungary, building familiarity with processes and procedures.
FIA Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli returned for additional mileage after a June test. The team gains repeatability data and correlation points across conditions, aiding simulator validation and setup understanding.
Ferrari junior Rafael Camara also ran. The Brazilian sits third in F2 with two wins, offering a reference on adaptation, tyre management, and run-plan discipline in representative conditions.
Haas evaluated Hirakawa, Fornaroli, and Camara across a three-day Portimao programme using the VF-25.
Alongside assessments, Haas negotiates extensions with Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon. Maintaining continuity into 2027 would stabilise development while the evaluation pipeline safeguards medium-term options.
From 2026, a technical partnership with Toyota permits testing with older chassis, expanding TPC scope and resources. That support underpins Haas’s adaptation to new regulations and operational demands.
Toyota’s arrival from 2026 unlocks older-chassis testing, broadening Haas’s TPC programme.
The broader aim is competitive resilience. Mileage for prospects complements race-weekend learning for incumbents, strengthening correlation, procedures, and feedback loops before rules and car concepts shift again.
Bearman–Ocon talks target a stable 2027 pairing while evaluations maintain competitive pressure from below.
Visual Summary
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RY Hirakawa
LF Fornaroli
RC Camara
HAAS TESTS THE FUTURE
Three rising stars drop through the pipeline, each aiming for a coveted spot on Formula 1’s grid.
Bearman
🤝
Ocon
🤝
Ocon
2027: Partnership Talks
vs
Next Gen
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Hirakawa, Fornaroli, Camara
Haas Tech Steps: Restrictions → Toyota Partnership → Driver Discovery
🔄 Haas prepares for the next Formula 1 era—investing in tomorrow’s stars, while building on today’s stability.
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
