Breaking: Rafael Câmara joins Haas for 2027, Brazil's prodigy takes Ocon's seat

A multi-year deal and a page being turned

The announcement came midweek: Rafael Câmara has signed a multi-year contract with Haas and will make his Formula 1 debut in 2027. The team did not specify the exact length of the deal, but the message is clear: the Brazilian is not being brought in as a stopgap.

He takes the place of Esteban Ocon, whose departure at the end of the season was made official on 30 September. Two years at Haas were not enough for the Frenchman to convince, and the team chose a fresh start rather than extending a partnership seen as disappointing on both sides.

FRECA, F3, F2: a climb without pause

Câmara's CV is enough to turn heads. A member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, he won the Formula Regional European Championship in 2024, then the F3 title in 2025, crushing the opposition both times.

In his first F2 season with Invicta, he hasn't just been learning. Three sprint race wins (Baku, Belgium, Spain), five pole positions, six podiums: he leads the championship by seven points over Nikola Tsolov with two rounds to go, in Qatar and then Abu Dhabi. If he seals it, he would become the first driver to win FRECA, F3 and F2 in three consecutive seasons. A statistic that says a lot about his consistency.

Why Haas picked him over the rest

Haas did not choose blindly. The team ran several candidates in older cars, including the VF-25, notably during a three-day session at Portimão in August. Câmara was up against strong competition: Leonardo Fornaroli, reigning F2 champion and McLaren reserve, Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa, and Jack Doohan, the team's test driver.

Ayao Komatsu made no secret of what tipped the balance. The Haas boss praised the Brazilian's raw qualifying speed, in Monaco as well as Montreal, and above all how quickly he got up to speed in an F1 car he was discovering in Portugal. The team says it wants to give him an environment in which he can thrive. Câmara, for his part, thanked Gene Haas, Komatsu and the Ferrari academy, promising to focus on his preparation.

A Maranello-made line-up

The link with Ferrari, Haas's engine supplier, is obviously no coincidence. Câmara is expected to partner Oliver Bearman, another graduate of the Scuderia's junior programme, although Haas has yet to officially confirm its 2027 line-up. Two young drivers, two Maranello protégés: the American team fully embraces its role as Ferrari's antechamber.

The wider market makes this signing even more significant. At Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad look set to be retained. If those predictions hold, Câmara could well be the only rookie on the 2027 grid. Which means every eye will be on him from the very first pre-season test.

Before thinking about 2027, Câmara still has a title to chase, with Tsolov in his mirrors and two weekends left to close it out. Winning it would give him the perfect entry into F1. Missing out wouldn't change his contract, but it would be a reminder that at this level, nothing is handed to you.