Driver given surprise audition for F1 seat as boss explains 'what happens next'

The reigning champion in the Japanese Super Formula series has taken part in an "audition" test in a Formula 1 car. The test, held at Fuji Speedway in Japan this week, saw two drivers from the Asian country drive the Haas VF-23 which raced in the 2023 F1 World Championship.

Such Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions have been made possible by the team's partnership with Toyota, formalised last year. The Japanese carmaker, through its Gazoo Racing arm, helps Haas with technical resources and, in return, its staff get experience of the pinnacle of motorsport.

And that includes opportunities for the drivers it employs in other disciplines. Ryo Hirakawa is one such driver who has benefitted from that partnership and is reserve driver for the team, having also driven free practice sessions for several outfits on the F1 grid.

Hirakawa, 31, a double World Endurance Championship title-winner, was one of those two drivers who got behind the wheel in Fuji. He drove on Tuesday, in front of a crowd invited to the circuit to watch the track action.

For the second of the two days of running, there was a debutant in the cockpit. Sho Tsuboi, 30, who won the Super Formula title last year and also races GT cars, got his first experience of F1 machinery.

According to Masaya Kaji, Toyota Gazoo Racing's director of global motorsport, the test was not just a prize for Tsuboi's Super Formula success. "What happens next depends entirely on Tsuboi's performance and his communication with the team," he said.

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"This is an audition or a selection test, not just because of his experience. We want to assess his real performance. He has to work hard and communicate in English. The goal is to assess his potential. Tsuboi has great potential, but it's not just his results. The test is not a reward for becoming Super Formula champion.

"These TPC tests are part of our people efforts, as we will focus on human resource development. I believe that Sho, a former Super Formula champion, will not only contribute to the development of his skills, but will also provide great motivation for the other TGR drivers.

"In addition, mechanics and engineers from Toyota Motor Corporation will be present, making this an invaluable opportunity for them as well . Experiencing first-hand the technologies and skills required on the world's highest stage, F1, will certainly be an important experience for their growth."

Hirakawa and Tsuboi are not the first Toyota drivers to be given the chance to test modern F1 machinery in recent months. Haas also ran former F1 driver Kamui Kobayashi, who now races in the World Endurance Championship, and Formula 2 star Ritomo Miyata in the same car at other TPC outings, giving Toyota valuable data to compare Tsuboi's performance.

Regardless of how well he did, it is not going to be a route onto the 2026 F1 grid. Haas already have Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman tied down to contracts for next season, though the latter remains a Ferrari junior driver and the American team might have to hastily find a replacement should the Brit be called up by the Scuderia at some point.