F1 star gets very wholesome gift from daughter before Bahrain Grand Prix

driver Ryo Hirakawa will be using a very special helmet when he makes his debut for the American team at this weekend's . He will get a taste of the action in FP1, stepping in for . It comes just days after Hirakawa , having driven for the French outfit in practice at the .

The 31-year-old, who also races for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, will be hoping to make an impression at the Bahrain International Circuit. He already has experience behind the wheel of a Haas, having driven last year's VF-24 in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi, and is set to take part in four practice sessions before the end of the campaign.

When the time comes for Hirakawa to step into the cockpit, he will be wearing a bespoke helmet designed by his young daughter. The back of the helmet features a large hand-drawn 'H' with his first name written inside and two small Japanese flags.

It also includes drawings of several happy faces, two red hearts and two stars either side of the giant 'H' in the middle. Hirakawa will be hoping that his helmet brings him good luck, having been tipped to shine by Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.

"We will have Ryo Hirakawa making his FP1 debut with us," he said. "We were very impressed with him when he drove for us in Abu Dhabi, so it's great to welcome him back to the team.

"The Sakhir circuit always offers an exciting race at night with many overtakes, so we're looking forward to building on our solid performance last weekend."

Hirakawa initially viewed Alpine as his best chance of securing a full-time F1 seat, according to The Race. However, it is claimed that he now sees Haas as the most compelling path forward, given their connections with Toyota.

Esteban Ocon is seen as a long-term leader, with the Frenchman having joined Haas from Alpine at the end of last season. Bearman, meanwhile, has been tipped for a future promotion to Ferrari when Lewis Hamilton decides to retire.

This could open the door for Hirakawa, who boasts plenty of racing experience from his career in other formulas. He is also a Le Mans winner, claiming victory for Toyota alongside former F1 drivers Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley in 2022.

After his move to Haas was confirmed, Hirakawa said: "I'm driving my first FP1 session in Bahrain, so for me to have driven at two race weekends in a row is exciting and I can't wait to get to Bahrain.

"I would like to thank Komatsu-san, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, Morizo-san [Akio Toyoda] and Toyota GAZOO Racing for this opportunity. It's a new challenge for me and I can't wait to get started."