McLaren name 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Ryo Hirakawa as new F1 reserve driver
Hirakawa won the 24 Hours of 🔯Le Mans in 2022 alongside Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley.
Next year he will combine duties for McLaren with his curreಌnt role with Toy🐓ota, for whom he leads the Hyperclass class in the World Endurance Championship currently.
Hirakawa will conduct simulator and testing duties with𓆉 the 2021 MCL35M as part of McLaren’s driver de🍸velopment programme.
He also drove in𝐆 the Jap⛎an-based Super Formula series.
INDYCAR options fell through
Alex Palou, the t𝔉wo-time INDYCAR champion, recently saw a deal to joi🔥n McLaren fall apart.
So he can no longer be relied upon to act as an F1 r♋eserve driver in 2024.
Pato O'Ward could in🧸stead be added to McLaren’s options if he receives a superlicence.
They also have access to Mick Schumacher, who isꦉ Mercedes’ third driver.
McLaren also struck a deal with Aston Martin to share Stoffel Vandoorne and Felipe Drugovich as reserve drivers for ♎the first 15 rounds of this year so co▨uld revisit a similar arrangement in 2024.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ.
