Did traffic on his final lap really keep Hirakawa out of Q2?
Making his F1 debut for Haas while Ocon sat out, Hirakawa posted a personal‑best in sector one and was on course to snatch the Q3 spot from Carlos Sainz.
He then ran into Alex Albon in the fast sweep of sector two and later was held up by Franco Colapinto in the lap’s closing segment.
Looking back, the Japanese driver called the session a shame, believing the track evolution was enough for a Q2 appearance.
I hit traffic at Turn 6 and lost downforce on the high‑speed sections, you’d feel the dip instantly,” Hirakawa explained.
I could have easily made Q2 – a huge disappointment, yet I’m still thrilled to be here.
The ambient conditions mean a slip in sector three costs you dearly; you must push hard while still managing the car.
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team
Having run FP1, Hirakawa said he scrapped his normal morning routine to prep for the weekend, using most of FP3 to gear up for Saturday’s qualifying, leaving Sunday uncertain.
His aim is simply a clean start and a tidy first corner, and he declined to comment on whether he’ll drop his WEC title push at Monza next week.
Alongside Toyota #8 teammates Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley, he leads the championship by 25 points; for my money, his endurance pedigree proves he belongs in F1.
I’m focused on tomorrow – no talk of next week. The plan: a good launch, a clean first corner and fresh ideas, then just execute.
I even tried to stop at the pit box during FP3, but race conditions will differ, and I feel ready for that challenge.
Running FP1 gave me a solid base, so I wasn’t starting from zero in FP3.
Photos from Mexican GP – Saturday
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