Haas target Hungarian GP response as Ryō Hirakawa returns for FP1 outing before summer break

The Hungaroring hosts Round 11 this weekend, the final event before Formula 1 begins its summer recess. Haas will also hand reserve driver Ryō Hirakawa his second FP1 appearance of the season.

Hirakawa will replace Ollie Bearman during Friday’s opening practice session, having previously driven the VF-26 in Austria. That outing was disrupted by aerodynamic testing and a red flag, limiting his opportunities to complete representative push laps.

Team Principal Ayao Komatsu believes the contrasting demands of Hungary will provide another valuable opportunity to understand the VF-26.

He said: “In Spa, we managed to make some progress in terms of understanding and improving the performance of the VF-26, even though the result on Sunday was ultimately very disappointing.

"For the final race before the summer shutdown, we head to Hungaroring, which offers very different challenges to Spa, and on Friday, we will have more test items to improve our understanding further," added Komatsu.

The Hungaroring is one of Formula 1’s tightest and most technical circuits. High downforce, strong mechanical grip and precise balance are essential through its sequence of low- and medium-speed corners.

Hirakawa hopes the cleaner programme will allow him to explore the VF-26’s limits and provide useful setup feedback: “It will be my second time in the VF-26 after a difficult FP1 session in Austria, where aero tests and a red flag prevented me from completing some push laps.

“Next week I’ll have the chance to do some push laps, which is very exciting. The track is really challenging, it’s quite small, narrow and has a lot of low- and medium-speed corners," added the Japanese driver.

Bearman will watch the session from the garage before returning for FP2: “I’m looking forward to being able to follow a session from a different perspective and get his thoughts too – as his feedback is integral. Right now, my focus is on keeping up the level of consistency I’ve been showing for a while now and keeping the team’s morale up through a tricky time.”

Esteban Ocon has special memories of the Hungaroring after claiming his maiden Formula 1 victory there in 2021.

However, last season’s race proved difficult for Haas. Ocon finished 16th, while Bearman was not classified. The Frenchman said: “Hungary is one of my favourite race weekends of the year. I had my best day in Formula 1 at the Hungaroring in 2021, so it’s always a very special time to go back.”

The 2026 race marks 40 years since Formula 1 first visited Hungary in 1986. The circuit has appeared on every calendar since, while recently receiving a resurfaced track and renovated pit, paddock and spectator facilities.

Overtaking remains difficult, making qualifying position particularly important. High temperatures could also increase tyre degradation and introduce strategic opportunities during Sunday’s race.

Haas enter the weekend needing a cleaner result after their disappointment at Spa. Hungary offers another chance to evaluate upgrades, strengthen the VF-26 and enter the summer break with renewed momentum.