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Ryo Hirakawa, who recently joined McLaren’s driver development programme, was up and running with the Woking-based outfit in Barcelona on Thursday.
It was the 29-year-old Japanese driver’s maiden F1 outing with team papaya for which he will fulfill a reserve role in 2024, the 2022 Le Mans winner dovetailing his F1 commitment with his continued involvement with Toyota in the WEC.
On Friday at the Circuit de Catalunya, Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar charger Pato O’Ward, who is also earmarked as an official McLaren substitute for next season, took over from Hirakawa, the 24-year-old having previously enjoyed several F1 runs with McLaren in the past.
Pato O'Ward, ready to take to the track with McLren on Friday in Barcelona.
