Update, 3 November: Haas has made its choice. Rafael Câmara makes his F1 debut alongside Ollie Bearman at the São Paulo Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon will not return this season, and Hirakawa is free to race for the WEC title with Toyota at Monza on Sunday. Full story: Rafael Câmara makes his F1 debut for Haas at Interlagos.
Where will we see Ryo Hirakawa this weekend: in Formula 1 at Interlagos or in the WEC title decider at Monza? Both races are on Sunday 8 November, and he can only drive one of them. The Japanese driver scored a point on his Formula 1 debut for Haas in Mexico City last weekend, but the São Paulo Grand Prix falls on the same day as the 6 Hours of Monza, where he can win the World Endurance Championship with Toyota. On Tuesday Haas had still not said who partners Oliver Bearman at Interlagos.
All session times: São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 start times and WEC Monza 2026 schedule.
Tenth place and a point in his first Grand Prix
Haas called Hirakawa up on Saturday morning in Mexico City, when it dropped Esteban Ocon for the rest of the weekend without giving a reason (Haas drops Ocon, Hirakawa makes his F1 race debut). Team principal Ayao Komatsu told Sky Sports F1: “I can’t tell you much, but at least I can tell you that he’s not ill.”
Hirakawa qualified 18th and finished tenth, 25.373 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen, according to the official formula1.com classification. He crossed the line 13th, but post-race penalties for Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly moved him into the points. Bearman retired after 47 laps, so Hirakawa’s point was the only one Haas scored that day. Full results: Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 results.
Monza finishes one hour before the lights go out at Interlagos
The calendar leaves no room for both. The 6 Hours of Monza starts at 11:00 CET (10:00 UK, 05:00 ET) and ends around 17:00 CET. The São Paulo Grand Prix starts at 14:00 local time, which is 18:00 CET and 12:00 ET, on another continent.
The rest of the weekend clashes too. On Friday the WEC runs practice at 10:30 and 14:30 CET, while F1 first practice at Interlagos starts at 16:30 CET. On Saturday Hypercar Hyperpole is at 15:20 CET and F1 qualifying at 19:00 CET.
Fifth place is enough for the #8 Toyota
Toyota’s preview of the finale, published on 30 October before the call-up in Mexico, names Hirakawa in the #8 car with Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley. The trio lead the sister #7 crew of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries by 114 points to 97. A six-hour race pays 25 points for the win and one for Hypercar pole, so fifth place, worth ten, settles it whatever the #7 does (WEC Monza 2026 entry list).
“Now there’s one race left and we will try to grab the drivers’ title for car #8,” Hirakawa said in that preview.
If he skips Monza, he stays on 114. Any point for the #8 car would then put Buemi and Hartley ahead of him, and a win from pole for the #7 would take Conway, Kobayashi and De Vries to 123. Hirakawa won the Hypercar drivers’ title with Buemi and Hartley in 2022 and 2023, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022. Standings: FIA WEC standings 2026.
Câmara and Doohan are the other names
Haas has two obvious alternatives. Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara, who leads the Formula 2 standings, already has Ocon’s seat for 2027 (Ocon leaves Haas, Câmara in for 2027), and Interlagos is his home race. Jack Doohan has been Haas reserve alongside Hirakawa since February. Haas has not said whether Ocon returns. According to Australian outlet Auto Action, a decision is expected by Thursday morning, Brazilian time.
Our view
Monza. A third world title is worth more than one more Sunday in a car whose 2027 seats already belong to Bearman and Câmara. Hirakawa has done the Friday work all year and proved in Mexico that he can bring the car home in the points. He does not need Interlagos to prove that again. For Haas the choice is easy too: Câmara knows the circuit, the team wants him in the car next year, and a home debut in front of a Brazilian crowd is a story any team would welcome.
Practice starts on Friday: 10:30 CET at Monza, 16:30 CET at Interlagos
We will update this story as soon as Haas or Toyota confirm their line-ups. The F1 results go on our São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 results page, and the WEC results follow on Sunday afternoon.
Sources: formula1.com race classification, Mexico City Grand Prix 2026; Toyota Racing, “6 Hours of Monza: Preview” (30 October 2026); Ayao Komatsu to Sky Sports F1 (31 October 2026); fiawec.com; Auto Action (3 November 2026).
Should Hirakawa go for the WEC title at Monza or take the Haas seat at Interlagos? Tell us in the comments.
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