Haas completes latest TPC test as focus on 2027 driver line-up decision grows

Haas has completed another Testing of Previous Cars session, with Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli and Rafael Camara all taking part, according to Autosport and Motorsport.com. The significance is not simply that the team has been running old machinery again. This TPC programme is increasingly tied to a wider evaluation of where Haas wants to go with its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up, which makes the session feel like part of a longer-term decision-making process rather than a one-off mileage exercise.

That timing matters because the 2027 silly season has been picking up speed since the end of the summer break, and Haas is one of the few teams to have officially decided its driver line-up for next season. The reporting also notes that Oliver Bearman looks assured, but beyond that the longer-term picture is still open and under active review.

The presence of three different drivers in the same TPC run is a useful clue about how Haas is approaching the decision. The sources do not spell out any internal ranking, and they do not confirm that any one of Hirakawa, Fornaroli or Camara is ahead of the others. Even so, multiple names in action strongly suggest a real comparison process rather than a simple day of seat time. In a test environment like this, teams can judge much more than raw pace. They can observe how quickly a driver adapts to the car, how clearly they communicate technical feedback, and how they work with engineers over the course of a session.

That is what makes this particular TPC run notable. Hirakawa, Fornaroli and Camara all had the chance to show Haas how they operate in a genuine test environment, and that gives the team a practical reference point as it considers future options. For the drivers involved, these sessions are among the few opportunities to turn market interest into something measurable. For Haas, they offer a concrete look at different profiles before the team reaches its next major call. The reporting does not confirm whether any of the three is a leading candidate, so that remains unconfirmed.