Haas has wrapped up its most recent Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session, featuring Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara, as the team’s focus intensifies on finalizing its 2027 Formula 1 driver lineup.
With the 2027 silly season gaining momentum following the summer break, Haas stands out as one of the few teams to have already confirmed its driver lineup for the upcoming campaign.
While Oliver Bearman appears poised to secure his seat for 2027, speculation has turned to Esteban Ocon’s future, with Haas making no secret of its commitment to thoroughly evaluate all available options.
The American outfit recently concluded a three-day TPC test at Portimao, where reserve driver Hirakawa was joined by 2025 Formula 2 champion and McLaren development driver Fornaroli, alongside current F2 title contender and Ferrari junior Camara. All three drivers took turns behind the wheel of the VF-25 – Haas’ 2025 Formula 1 car – at the Portuguese circuit from August 26-28.
This follows a comparable TPC test the team conducted last month at Fuji, where it provided track time for Toyota-backed drivers Sho Tsuboi and Nirei Fukuzumi.
While specific details regarding the Portimao TPC test remain undisclosed, it was emphasized that the session forms part of Haas’ broader strategy to assess all interested drivers before making a definitive decision on its 2027 lineup.
Ayao Komatsu, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
“I think it’s really good that other people are actually interested in us,” Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu stated ahead of last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.
“At the moment, we’re not performing so well. We cannot challenge for points, but I think it’s nice that other people can see the potential in us. Within the constraint how we’re fighting and we’re trying to improve the team. We just take it as a compliment that other drivers are interested.”
Komatsu has emphasized his immediate priority lies in maximizing short-term performance from both the car and drivers in 2026, suggesting Haas will take a measured approach when determining its future driver pairing.
Throughout its relatively brief history in Formula 1, Haas has frequently been among the last teams to announce its driver lineup for the following season – making a similar timeline plausible given the relative stability of driver lineups across the rest of the grid for 2027.
“We’re not in any rush,” Komatsu commented at Zandvoort. “We’re focused on our two drivers, Ollie and Esteban, trying to get the best out of them. They’ve got the tough challenge, right? You know what they are capable of.
“Ollie has showed it repeatedly, Esteban, when he is happy with the car, you know what he can do. So we need to really just focus on providing them with the best possible car, best set-up adaptation, and get the best out of them. And then both of our drivers are fully focused. So at the moment, we’re focused on that.”
