Rafael Camara to Make F1 Debut at Brazil GP as Esteban Ocon Steps Aside at Haas

Rafael Camara to Race for Haas in Brazil Following Ocon's Departure

The Haas F1 team has confirmed that Esteban Ocon will not compete for the team again this season. Instead, Rafael Camara, set to join Haas full-time in 2027, will take his seat for the Brazilian Grand Prix on home soil.

Tensions between Ocon and the team escalated after a heated exchange during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, prompting team principal Ayao Komatsu to bench the French driver. Reserve driver and Toyota protégé Ryo Hirakawa stepped in from Saturday onwards in Mexico and managed to finish 10th, earning a point on debut. With Ocon now a free agent for next year, Haas decided not to reinstate him.

"We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season," Komatsu stated. "Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City - but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward. The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations."

Camara, a Ferrari junior already signed by Haas for 2027, will pilot the VF-26 at Interlagos. Leading the Formula 2 championship, the Brazilian impressed Haas during private testing sessions, earning an early chance to start his F1 career months ahead of schedule.

The final approval came on Tuesday afternoon, though Camara had been on standby since Ocon's removal in Mexico. In Mexico City, Haas fielded Hirakawa temporarily while evaluating options for the remaining races.

It remains unclear who will drive for Haas at the upcoming Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi rounds—likely a mix of Camara and Hirakawa.

Camara's Experience and Preparation

Despite never driving a 2026 F1 car in competition, Camara arrives ready for the challenge. This season, he completed five Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) outings: four behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF-25 and one in the Haas VF-25.

The August test in Portimao, Portugal, especially helped convince Haas of Camara's talent.

"Looking ahead, we've chosen Rafael Camara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix," Komatsu said. "Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafael's capabilities and we're looking forward to welcoming him into the team this weekend and working with him through his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil."

This change also affects Ferrari's plans. The Friday morning FP1 session initially allocated to Camara will now be given to Dino Beganovic, giving the Swedish driver extra track time with the Maranello squad.

Summary of Drivers' Line-up Changes

• Esteban Ocon: Removed from Haas race seat for the rest of 2026, free agent for 2027.
• Ryo Hirakawa: Temporary replacement for Ocon in Mexico, scored 10th place (1 point).
• Rafael Camara: Set to debut at Brazil GP, full-time Haas driver in 2027, leads F2 standings.
• Dino Beganovic: Gains FP1 session at Brazil GP previously reserved for Camara.