Rafael Camara will race for Haas in Formula 1 in 2027. The 21-year-old Brazilian, who currently leads the Formula 2 championship, will make his F1 debut with the US-based team next season.
Haas picked Camara from a group of four drivers. The others were reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and Haas reserve drivers Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa. All four were assessed in cars from previous F1 seasons.
Portimao test made the difference
Camara, Fornaroli and Hirakawa took part in a test at Portimao in Portugal in August. Doohan was assessed separately. Team principal Ayao Komatsu said Camara was the quickest of them all.
“I always said we would choose driver by performance,” Komatsu said. “He showed incredible speed. That was the fully overriding factor above everything else.”
He called Camara “simply outstanding” at Portimao. He also said the Brazilian adapted well without much time to learn the car. “He showed us more than just raw speed,” Komatsu said.
Money did not separate the candidates, according to Komatsu. He said every driver tested came with financial backing. “But it was clear he was the quickest guy, so we took him purely based on that,” he added.
Bearman expected to stay
Haas has not yet named the driver for its other car. It is widely seen as a matter of time before Briton Oliver Bearman is confirmed for a third season with the team. Komatsu said the intention is to continue with him, and that it comes down to timing and finalising some details.
Bearman and Camara are both part of the Ferrari driver academy.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon will leave Haas at the end of this year. The team confirmed that at the end of last month. Ocon spent two seasons alongside Bearman.
Camara thanked team owner Gene Haas and Komatsu for their trust. He called the move “an important step” in his career. “Now my focus is on preparing myself in the best possible way for this new challenge,” he said. “There will be a lot to learn, and I’m looking forward to working closely with the team, understanding the car and continuing to develop as a driver.”
Source: BBC Sport
