The Haas F1 team has put an end to weeks of speculation by confirming the signing of Rafael Camara, who will replace Esteban Ocon for the Formula 1 season in 2027.
Camara, who is also a graduate of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, will share a team with Oliver Bearman. Both drivers were signed by Ferrari at the same time in 2021, after participating in the Scouting World Final of the Scuderia in Maranello. With this addition, Camara will become the second Brazilian driver on the F1 grid, alongside Gabriel Bortoleto from Audi.
Currently, Camara is leading the Formula 2 championship, and if he secures the title, he will be only the second driver in history to win consecutive titles in lower categories, after Oscar Piastri, with Formula Regional Europe, F3, and F2.
The Haas team was impressed by Camara’s performance during a test last August, where he drove the team’s 2022 car at the Álvaro circuit in Portugal.
At a time when rumors about his signing were growing, Camara confessed to Formula Scout in an exclusive interview in Monza that driving an F1 car was a dream he had always wished for: “Obviously, the dream is to be here in F1 competing full-time, but it’s great to be able to taste it.”
When his signing was confirmed, Camara expressed his satisfaction: “I am very happy to join the Haas F1 Team as a Formula 1 driver. It’s an important step in my career, and I want to thank Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu for the confidence they have placed in me.”
He added: “Entering F1 is a dream come true and a very special moment in my career. I know it’s only the beginning, and now my focus is to prepare myself as best as I can for this new challenge.”
Ayao Komatsu, the team director, expressed his excitement about the signing: “We are very excited about this young talent like Rafael Camara. He has shown impressive speed in difficult moments.”
Gene Haas also commented: “I am excited to see what Rafael Camara will achieve in F1, and we are ready for this new stage. Younger drivers like him are eager to make the most of being in a team.”
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
