Haas signs Rafael Camara to replace Esteban Ocon for 2027 Formula 1 season
The 21-year-old Formula 2 leader has a multi-year deal for his F1 debut. Haas has yet to announce who will drive its other car in 2027.
Haas has signed Brazilian driver Rafael Camara to replace Esteban Ocon for the 2027 Formula 1 season, giving the current Formula 2 championship leader his F1 debut. Reuters reports that the deal is for multiple years. The move settles one of Haas's seats after Ocon's departure at the end of 2026 was announced last month.
Why Haas chose Rafael Camara
Camara, 21, won the Formula 3 title in 2025 and now leads the F2 standings. Reuters reported that he was seven points ahead of Nikola Tsolov with two rounds remaining. Motorsport.com also reports that he won the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship, giving Haas a recent record across three junior series to assess as he moves towards F1.
Haas considered four drivers for the seat, according to BBC Sport: Camara, reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, and its reserve drivers Jack Doohan and Ryo Hirakawa. The BBC reported that Camara, Fornaroli and Hirakawa were assessed at a Portimao test in August, while Doohan was assessed separately. Motorsport.com reports that Camara's work in previous Haas cars included a three-day test at Portimao that month.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu praised Camara's performance during the testing programme in Portugal, according to Reuters and the BBC. Camara described the move as an important step in his career and said he would focus on preparing for the challenge. His promotion gives Haas a rookie whose recent results and testing the team could evaluate before committing to the 2027 lineup.
Haas's other 2027 seat remains open
Haas has not announced a driver for its other car in 2027. BBC Sport says Oliver Bearman is expected to stay, but that expectation is not a confirmed seat. Bearman and Camara are both members of the Ferrari Driver Academy, according to the BBC.
The decision comes as Haas prepares for the United States Grand Prix in seventh place among Formula 1's 11 teams. Reuters reported that Bearman had scored 23 of the team's 30 points at that stage. Camara's arrival therefore changes one place in a lineup whose remaining position Haas has yet to settle publicly.
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Sources and context
- Rafael Camara: Haas sign Brazilian for F1 debut in 2027 seasonBBC Sport
- Brazilian Camara to replace Ocon at Haas F1 team next seasonReuters, republished by Channel NewsAsia
- Rafael Camara to replace Esteban Ocon at Haas for F1 2027Motorsport.com (republished by Yahoo Sports)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.