Rafael Camara will join the Formula 1 grid in 2027, having been handed the race seat being vacated by Esteban Ocon at Haas. The Frenchman will be dropped by the American outfit at the end of the season, and the team has opted for a rookie option.
Camara, from Brazil, is the current Formula 2 standings leader with a seven-point advantage over nearest challenger Nikola Tsolov heading into the final two rounds of the season. But the outcome is no longer material to his career progression.
Camara's F1 promotion was sealed with Thursday's announcement, after which Express Sport was among the select, invited media to ask questions of Camara and Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. Here's what we learned.
Haas selected Camara for 'one simple reason'
Haas were not short of options. While Ocon's impending departure was only confirmed a couple of weeks ago, the team has spent months putting candidates through their paces, culminating in a shootout test in Portimao in August. Camara, Komatsu told us, was the clear winner.
He said: "All drivers who were involved in that did a very, very good job. Rafa, Leo Fornaroli, Ryo Hirakawa, Jack Doohan, I believe they all got the best out of themselves and every time they got in a car they improved."
"[But Rafa] was the quickest, that's the very simple answer. He was impressive. I always said we were going to choose the driver based on performance and then, through those evaluations, it was Rafa who just showed incredible speed and feel. That was the fully overriding factor above everything else."
The meaning behind the race number Rafael Camara will use in F1
Sadly, the number F1's newest driver wanted is taken, and by his countryman no less. Camara wanted the number five, but that is already being used by Gabriel Bortoleto. So, he told us, he has pivoted to the number 50 for his debut campaign with Haas.
He said: "We'll be using the 50. The first option would be 5, but obviously Gabi is using that. It's 50 because my birthday is 5/5/2005. I spoke with my dad and then he said that 50 makes sense with the birthday date. So I'll be using that one for next year."
Will we see Rafael Camara in an FP1 session or two this year?
We didn't get a confirmed answer on that, but Komatsu gave the impression that he would very much like to get the Brazilian in the car at least once before the year is out. He said the plans are "TBC" for now, but added there are no constraints from Camara's parent team Ferrari and so it's simply up to Haas to choose if they want to, plus when and where.
When Haas will confirm its full driver lineup
It's a little strange, really, that Camara's elevation into F1 has been confirmed before official word that Oliver Bearman will continue. His current contract expires in December and, given his performances, the assumption has been that an extension is merely a formality. Komatsu confirmed to us that he wants Bearman to stay and that there are only minor details to be ironed out before a deal is confirmed.
He said: "I cannot go into certain contractual details but, for me, of course I'd like to continue with Ollie. He's an incredible talent and then he showed amazing growth."
"This year he's shown that he's ready to be a team leader and then you also saw how he raced in Singapore which was very, very impressive. It's just a matter of timing, a matter of finalising certain detail. But yes, it is our intention to continue with Ollie. A formal announcement will come in due course."
What choosing Camara means for Jack Doohan's future
Doohan was keen to land a return to the F1 grid and have a chance to show what he can do, having been given just seven races at Alpine. He joined Haas as reserve driver and positioned himself well for a promotion in the event that Ocon lost his seat, but has been overlooked.
Komatsu admitted to us that Doohan's future with the team is "up in the air" as a result, though he hinted that he would like to keep the Australian around in a reserve capacity in 2027.
He said: "With Jack, our doors are open, definitely. We'll be talking with him and then his manager as well, seeing if we can do something together beyond this year. So that's still an open question."
How Camara received the news
It is understood the final agreement between Haas and Ferrari was finalised over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. Asked when he was told he had got the seat, Camara said he was in Milan with his parents.
He told us: "I got a call from Ayao... The first thing I said to him was, 'Are you sure?' I was very happy with that, super excited. I went to tell my parents – they were staying so I could tell them in person."
"My parents, there was a lot of sacrifice on their side and we were not even from the motorsport world, so we didn't really know exactly what was the way to go to get here. So I'm very proud of being here today, and enjoying the moment."
Camara's feelings about Antonelli's success
Camara, who will turn 22 next May, is joining F1 at a relatively late age compared to some of the more recent graduates. Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad were both 18 when they made their debuts, as was Camara's new team-mate Bearman.
The Brazilian used to race against Antonelli in junior formulae, but the Italian has been fast-tracked by Mercedes and is now on the cusp of becoming Formula One champion before Camara has even had the chance to race in the sport. He insists, though, that there is no envy there despite having had a comparatively slower path to the top.
He said: "It's very nice to see Kimi [succeeding] this year. On my side, for sure it gives some motivation to keep working hard and improving myself. I'll just try to make the most of next year and then just learn to make sure that it is a good year."
"Everyone has their own time. I'm just very happy for what he has done, I think he really deserves what has happened to him. He is someone that works hard and also is a very nice guy. I don't see any bad side, I just see it as a positive and hopefully, one day, we can be fighting together."
