Thursday, January 9, 2025

F1 information: Ryō Hirakawa joins Alpine as a reserve driver forward of 2025 season

The 2025 Components 1 season is simply across the nook, however Alpine just isn’t executed including to their driver roster.

The crew introduced on Thursday that Ryō Hirakawa was becoming a member of Alpine as a check and reserve driver for the 2025 season. As a part of his duties, Hirakawa will take part within the crew’s Testing of Earlier Vehicles (TPC) program, and can drive the A525 in FP1 forward of the Japanese Grand Prix firstly of April. Hirakawa has intensive expertise driving in several championships, together with Tremendous Components, Endurance, and Tremendous GT. He was additionally a part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing crew that captured victory within the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022.

Hirakawa was additionally a reserve for McLaren F1 through the 2024 marketing campaign, and drove in PF1 on the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“It’s an honour to be becoming a member of BWT Alpine Components One Workforce as a Check and Reserve Driver for the 2025 season. As at all times, the chance of monitor time in Components One equipment is the head for race drivers and I’m excited to drive in Free Follow 1 in entrance of my dwelling crowd on the Japanese Grand Prix, in addition to working with the crew testing earlier vehicles,” mentioned Hirakawa within the crew’s announcement. “It’s a nice alternative to be working with such a devoted crew that utilises the breadth of expertise of its driver pool and I stay up for taking part in an element in making 2025 a constructive yr collectively.”

Alpine Workforce Principal Oliver Oakes praised the motive force’s various vary of expertise within the announcement.

“It’s nice to deliver Ryō on board with the crew for 2025 and have him step in to take over driving duties for FP1 in Japan in entrance of his dwelling crowd. His addition brings a various vary of racing expertise to our present roster and expands the pool of expertise accessible to name upon all through the season,” mentioned Oakes. “His position will likely be necessary in offering the crew with assist in varied areas of growth via our TPC programme and simulator work, and we’re trying ahead to welcoming him to the crew as we press forward with preparations for the brand new season.”

The announcement comes as rumors swirl concerning the crew’s lineup for the 2025 season. Whereas Alpine confirmed Jack Doohan as their driver alongside Pierre Gasly again in August, and Doohan stepped in for Esteban Ocon within the season finale, reporting in latest days from varied shops signifies {that a} shock signing of Franco Colapinto as a reserve driver may very well be within the playing cards.

Whether or not that’s certainly the case stays to be seen. Alpine didn’t reply to an inquiry concerning Colapinto by publication.

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