‘Impressive’ endurance driver told he has a ‘real chance’ of being on the F1 grid with £1.2bn-valued team in 2026

The 2025 Formula 1 season hasn’t even started yet and already people are turning their attention to next year.

Every team will have a workforce focusing on next season’s cars with the upcoming changes to F1’s regulations in 2026.

Three teams might already be concentrating on 2026 and it’ll be interesting to see how different their cars are for this season compared to the previous campaign.

One thing every team will already be thinking about is whether their driver line-ups are already set for next season.

There was plenty of movement in the driver’s market last year and many of the sport’s stars signed multi-year deals that encompass 2026.

Both Mercedes drivers are out of contract at the end of the season, while nearly every driver will have break clauses included in their deals that allow their teams to let them go if they don’t reach high enough standards.

This creates an added layer of pressure and a report from Autosport has shared more details about what’s already happening at Alpine.

While Jack Doohan only has a short-term contract and that opens up a potential opportunity for Franco Colapinto to return to the grid, another driver is waiting in the wings who has been told he could be in with a chance of a 2026 race seat.

Ryo Hirakawa told he could have a ‘real chance’ of 2026 Formula 1 race seat

During Alpine’s press conference at the F1 75 livery launch event, Doohan fielded several questions about his future and the presence of Colapinto.

That’s despite the Australian having only raced once in Formula 1 after his late call-up at last year’s Australian Grand Prix.

Colapinto was one of three drivers brought in by Alpine during the winter that would have made Doohan realise how precarious his position is within the team.

Paul Aron was signed from team principal Oliver Oakes’ Hitech Formula 2 team after a very strong season for the Estonian.

However, Ryo Hirakawa was the other driver brought in over the winter after being signed from McLaren.

Hirakawa will make an FP1 appearance at the Japanese Grand Prix for Alpine, but the hope is that he’ll be a more permanent fixture on the grid next season.

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Autosport reports that Hirakawa was told when he signed for Alpine that he would have a ‘real chance’ to earn a race seat in 2026.

Colapinto was likely given the same promise, while Aron is considered by many at Alpine as their most talented youngster.

The £1.2bn-valued F1 team have given themselves plenty of options for the future – without even mentioning F2 stars Gabriele Mini and Victor Martins – which piles even more pressure on Doohan.

Who is Ryo Hirakawa and should Alpine consider him as an option for 2026 F1 race seat?

Hirakawa is a 30-year-old Japanese racing driver who has enjoyed success in a variety of categories.

After winning the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 2012, he spent several years racing in Super Formula where Red Bull driver Liam Lawson learned his craft before making his F1 debut.

Hirakawa made the move to the European Le Mans Series in 2016 alongside his Super Formula duties.

He won back-to-back FIA World Endurance Championships in 2022 and 2023, as well as winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with former Toro Rosso pair Brandon Hartley and Sebastien Buemi.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella is a big fan of Hirakawa and when he signed for the outfit last year before his move to Alpine, he said: “I’m pleased to welcome Ryo to McLaren Racing as a Formula 1 reserve driver to further strengthen our growing support driver pool.

“We are thankful to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for their collaboration by allowing Ryo to take on the new role alongside his driving duties.

“He has an impressive record on track, winning Le Mans as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship.”

It’s hard to know exactly where Hirakawa sits in the Alpine pecking order right now, but his racing career suggests he’s done more than enough to earn a shot in a Formula 1 car sooner rather than later.