News Summary
- Haas has confirmed Rafael Câmara as its new Formula 1 driver for 2027, replacing Esteban Ocon.
- The 21-year-old Brazilian has signed a multi-year agreement and will race alongside Oliver Bearman.
- Câmara’s promotion means Brazil will have two full-time F1 drivers for the first time since 2016, with Gabriel Bortoleto continuing at Audi.
Haas has officially confirmed Rafael Câmara as its new Formula 1 driver for the 2027 season, handing the Ferrari Driver Academy graduate a multi-year contract to replace Esteban Ocon alongside Oliver Bearman. The announcement on Thursday, October 15, completes one of the most closely watched driver-market negotiations of the year and gives Brazil two full-time representatives on the grid for the first time in more than a decade.
The 21-year-old arrives from Formula 2, where he leads the championship in his rookie season with Invicta Racing. His promotion follows a series of tests with Ferrari and Haas, which allowed the American team to evaluate his performance against other candidates before making its final decision.
Câmara will form an all-Ferrari Academy pairing with Bearman, strengthening the connection between Haas and its long-standing power-unit supplier. Both drivers have progressed through Ferrari’s development programme, although Bearman already has extensive Formula 1 experience.
The announcement also confirms that Ocon will leave Haas at the end of 2026, concluding his two-season spell with the American organisation.
How Câmara beat his rivals to the Haas seat
Câmara’s appointment follows a selection process involving several experienced and highly rated drivers. Haas evaluated Leonardo Fornaroli, Ryō Hirakawa and Jack Doohan, while Ocon was initially considered for another season.
The team organised tests with previous-generation Formula 1 machinery to compare the candidates. At Portimão in August, Câmara drove alongside other contenders, with Bearman providing a reference for the team’s assessment.
The Brazilian had already gained experience in Ferrari machinery, including outings in the SF-25 at Mugello and Imola. Those sessions formed part of a preparation programme intended to accelerate his adaptation to Formula 1.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported during the selection process, Fornaroli was informed that he would not receive the seat, leaving Câmara and Toyota-backed Hirakawa as the remaining principal candidates.
The Brazilian’s position was strengthened by his performances in testing and Ferrari’s support. Team owner Gene Haas was also reported to have been impressed by Câmara’s work, while team principal Ayao Komatsu assessed the candidates’ speed, consistency and ability to integrate into the organisation.
Speaking during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, Komatsu explained the qualities Haas was looking for in its next driver.
“What we’re looking for in a driver, first and foremost, is the guy needs to have speed, the guy needs to be fast,” Komatsu said.
He also stressed the importance of teamwork, particularly for an organisation operating with fewer resources than Formula 1’s largest manufacturers.
“The two drivers, the integration into the team, how they motivate and drive the team, is very important,” he added.
The subsequent decision to release Ocon opened the way for Câmara’s promotion, while Ferrari’s established relationship with Haas made the Brazilian an attractive option for the American team.
Ferrari’s investment in Câmara pays off
Câmara joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022 and developed through the European junior categories before establishing himself as one of the most promising drivers in single-seater racing.
His breakthrough came in 2025, when he won the Formula 3 championship in his rookie season with Trident. He secured victories in Australia, Bahrain, Spain and Hungary, clinching the title with a round remaining.
His qualifying performances were equally impressive. Câmara recorded five pole positions, setting a new Formula 3 record and demonstrating the outright pace that subsequently attracted Haas’s attention.
The Brazilian moved to Formula 2 with Invicta Racing in 2026 and continued his rapid progression. He has secured multiple victories and podium finishes, moving into the championship lead after the Azerbaijan round.
His performances strengthened Ferrari’s determination to secure a Formula 1 opportunity rather than keep him in the junior categories for another season.
Câmara had already declared himself ready for Formula 1 after testing with Ferrari and Haas, explaining that the greatest adjustment would involve the demands of competing at the highest level rather than simply driving a faster car.
“Yes. I don’t see why I wouldn’t be ready,” Câmara said when asked about the prospect of making his debut in 2027.
He acknowledged that Formula 1 would bring additional responsibilities, but insisted that the driving itself remained the part of the challenge he enjoyed most.
“If I am in F1 in 2027, it will also be a dream fulfilled, because you work your whole life for that opportunity,” he added.
That ambition has now become reality.
Brazil returns to two-driver F1 representation
Câmara’s arrival has particular significance for Brazilian motorsport. With Gabriel Bortoleto continuing at Audi, Brazil will have two full-time Formula 1 drivers in 2027, ending a period in which the country was represented by either one driver or none.
The last season featuring two Brazilian full-time drivers was 2016, when Felipe Massa raced for Williams and Felipe Nasr competed for Sauber.
Câmara and Bortoleto now represent a new generation of Brazilian talent, both having established themselves through strong performances in the junior categories.
Their careers have followed different paths. Bortoleto won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in consecutive seasons before reaching Formula 1, while Câmara secured the F3 championship and moved into contention for the F2 title during his first season.
Câmara’s move also gives Haas one of the youngest driver combinations on the grid. Bearman will enter his third full season in Formula 1 in 2027, while his new teammate will be making his championship debut.
The pairing creates an opportunity for Haas to build around two drivers with long-term development potential, although the team will also need to manage the challenges associated with a relatively inexperienced line-up.
Ocon leaves Haas as 2027 grid takes shape
Câmara replaces Ocon after the Frenchman’s two seasons with Haas. The former Alpine driver joined the American team in 2025 but was unable to establish a consistently competitive position as the organisation struggled during parts of the 2026 championship.
Haas confirmed Ocon’s departure at the end of September, allowing the team to complete its evaluation of potential replacements.
The Frenchman, who won the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with Alpine, has not confirmed his next Formula 1 destination.
For Haas, the decision marks another stage in its collaboration with Ferrari, which has provided power units since the team’s Formula 1 debut in 2016.
The announcement also completes a lengthy driver-market process that had intensified after Câmara’s strong performances in Formula 2 and his testing appearances.
Formula 1 returns for the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 23–25, where Haas will compete on home soil with Bearman and Ocon before the latter’s departure. GRANDE PRÊMIO will follow the team’s preparations and the 2027 driver market through its Formula 1 coverage.
