Young driver Rafael Camara will make his Formula 1 debut with the Haas team during the Brazilian Grand Prix, after Esteban Ocon has been sidelined from competition for the rest of the 2027 season.
The decision by the American team comes after moments of tension between Ocon and the team, with a heated discussion in the last race in Mexico that precipitated this outcome. After being withdrawn, Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa replaced Ocon and earned a point in his first race, finishing in tenth position.
The team’s director, Ayao Komatsu, communicated that Ocon will not compete again with Haas: ‘We have notified Esteban Ocon that he will not have a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season. Decisions of this kind are never easy, but we believe they are in the best interest of the team moving forward.’
Camara, who had already been registered to replace Ocon next season, will have the opportunity to kickstart his F1 career early. He currently leads the Formula 2 standings and has impressed in private tests with Haas.
Overall, having not driven a 2026 F1 car, Camara arrives prepared. He has participated in five tests of previous cars, with one notable outing in the Haas VF-25 in Portugal, which served to showcase his skills.
Komatsu confirmed that Camara will drive the VF-26 at Interlagos in partnership with Ollie Bearman: ‘After his excellent performance in the August test, we know about Rafa’s capabilities and look forward to welcoming him this weekend for his debut.’
Additionally, this restructuring will also affect Ferrari, as the FP1 session on Friday was scheduled for Camara, but it will now be offered to Dino Beganovic, giving him a new opportunity to drive the Maranello car.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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