New Haas F1 driver Rafael Camara opens up on securing the seat and becoming the second Brazilian on the grid, plus on his journey.
After months of waiting, Haas finally announced Camara as its F1 driver, replacing Esteban Ocon for the 2027 season. The team tested three other drivers – Jack Doohan, Leonardo Fornaroli and Ryo Hirakawa – but the Brazilian got the nod.
It was pretty much sealed after his Testing Previous Car run in Portimao. The Brazilian expanded on the intense two days when he put all of his learning on the junior ladder to ultimately win the seat. It was a nervous situation, but he had the confidence.
Camara Shares How it Happen
He revealed how Haas F1 team boss Ayao Komatsu broke the news to him, not long after the TPC running. Camara noted that the Japanese got emotional, as did he and his family too, realizing that all the hard work of years has paid off.
The Ferrari junior feels elated to be the second Brazilian on the F1 grid in 2027 alongside good friend Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi). The two have shared some good moments, even though he has always been one year ahead on the ladder.
He also recalled racing against and being teammates with Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while also spending time with his to-be teammate Oliver Bearman. Camara cannot wait to start the new journey, but still has two F2 weekends to get through.
He is leading the F2 championship by seven points over Nikola Tsolov. Camara hopes to end his junior career on a high note with another title after winning the Formula Regional and Formula 3 championships.
When Did the Dream Start To Feel Come True
“Yeah, I think the beginning of this year, I kind of knew there will be a conversation, and there will be something going on there. Obviously, my first test was with Ferrari in Budapest and in a way you want to completely focus in F2, but at the same time you want still to do a good job when you have these chances to do a good job in F1. So I think in a way I knew at the beginning of the year that would be a chance.
“I think it was doing a good year in F2. So I was just really trying to make sure that I was really focused in F2 and also make sure that I could do everything I could to make sure there was a good year and I would have no regrets of this year because I knew it was going to be important. So obviously I cannot be happier now that I also take the lead in Baku, and after getting this news, I think it was very nice.”
Getting the News, Family Reaction
“Yeah, I was with Ayao. Yeah, a couple of weeks after the test, I got the news that I would be on the grid in 2027. And I was really, yeah, just not really believing. I said, are you sure? And yeah, I think it was a very nice moment. Like I said, no, you use your whole life for that. And with Ayao, when I started to thank him, and he started to get a bit more emotional, like the voice went, yeah, but yeah, it was a good, it was a good day. And then after I was able to tell my parents and then with my, especially with my dad, was when I couldn’t really hold myself.
“So, it was more because we’ve been together. Everything that he did for me was basically he stopped his life for me. So yeah, I wouldn’t go into much detail because then we start to get a bit emotional, but yeah, it was a good journey together. Also, my mom, the whole family – really, it’s like really a sacrifice of everyone. And it’s great, I think, in a way for them; I feel even happier for them because it’s really, when you’re a kid, it’s just something you start with passion, and you don’t even know how difficult it is to be there. And as an adult, you know a bit more of life and probably because they didn’t even know much about motorsports.
“They, yeah, they just follow really my, my passion and my dream. They just did everything possible to make sure that I was given the opportunities and proving that I could do it. And so, yeah, I can’t wait to, I mean, we, we’ve been together after the news, but I can’t wait to go back home in Brazil and spend time together with the whole family.
“I think the whole family, really, everyone is so excited. Everyone starts watching more and more because it’s getting bigger and bigger; it’s more exposed now, everything. So it’s easier for them also to watch. And especially this year, everyone’s really, every weekend, everyone is texting, and everyone wants to know where it’s going. So, no, I think it’s good that we did this step and hopefully we can have another good year next year that they keep enjoying and watching me and F1 now.”
Bortoleto and Two Brazilians on F1 Grid
“Yeah, Gabi doesn’t know yet [on the day of announcement]. I think that would be very nice because we’ve been, I know Gabi since seven, since I was seven. So, yeah, we raced together in Brazil and then in Europe he was always a category up. So, we’ve always been together, like traveling, because we always are at the same weekends; we’ve been very close friends.
“And to see us both, I saw already in F3, F2 that it was very nice to see, for me to see him going there because we’ve been together and we know how difficult it is to be there. We’re just, as I said, like for me, it was even more like, even more, not the motivation to keep working and keep pushing to hopefully be two of us there and we’ll be next year.
“It’s very nice to be another Brazilian now going into Formula One and being part of this big group of drivers that have been there and not always there’s great talent, I think from Brazil coming so, I think it’s nice to be part of this group and hopefully I can give some good time for the Brazilians to watch Formula One.”
Raced with Antonelli, Bearman
“Yeah, Kimi, we raced also since mini-karts in Italy; since last year in karting, that was okay, we have always been teammates. So, we did okay in F4 and Formula Regional together. And Ollie, I didn’t race with him, but we met when he was at the scouting camp for Ferrari. Then we did, actually; I think it was the first, the only year that two were selected in a year. And then after that, I joined F4, and he was already in F3. So obviously the calendar is different. So, we seen in Maranello, but there’s not so much time that we spent together.”
Crucial Haas F1 Test That Made It Happen
“Yeah, I can remember very well. For sure, it was intense two days. Obviously, it was a new track, new team. I went to do the seat fits, but obviously I did not meet everyone. So, new environment and for sure it was quite tense. The only thing I was worried was just…because it was such an important moment. And you have two days to make sure you are comfortable, and you deliver what you need to deliver. And I was just a bit concerned of being a bit tight and not being myself.
“I really wanted the test to make sure that I was really enjoying it, because it was not going to be an opportunity that I will have again, maybe. So, it was good fun. It was two days that was really intense, but at the same time I was really enjoying it when I was driving. So, it was very nice. In the end it was really, when I was in the car, I was really feeling like I was just happy to be doing that and driving. It was a new track also, so it was a very cool experience in Portimão. And next year we are going there, so I think it is nice. So yeah, it was a really nice track to drive. Also, it felt good with the car, so it was a nice day.”
Good Feedback Already
“Yeah, I think I’m especially I mean, looking at F3, F2, you saw limits on laps, and I think that was something that I think it always helped me because I think I was always able to understand quite quickly what to do and how to make progress. And also, obviously you’re always improving, but at one point, to find a little bit of noise is where it becomes not easy for sure; you can easily overdrive, but I think yeah, I think I’ve always been good with that.
“Also, I think always in important moments, I think I have always been able to extract the most of myself. And yeah, I think these days were really just trying to apply everything that I learned in the years in the single-seater career, and everything that I knew, it’s just to put in place and make sure I was doing my job.”
Growing Up Knowing Big Names From Brazil
“Yeah, I think when I was younger, obviously [Ayrton] Senna, I think is someone that is, I don’t know, not only known in motorsport but the whole of Brazil, the whole country always looks to him as inspiration. My dad was watching some, yeah, old documentary and some stuff about what he did in the past. But I think when I was younger, I didn’t really have an idea what would become that.
“I always said that I want to be in Formula One, and I think even when I got older I also said that I think if I was not going to Formula One straight away, I think I would not really be interested in going into another thing. Really, I was always really looking up to Formula One as the thing, and we’ll try to make that happen; you need to make that happen.
“I think also this is why, probably in difficult moments, I was able to handle it well because in one place of your mind is like, you cannot go wrong, you cannot let this pass. So, yeah, I think in the end, it was always, since I was young was quite even if you don’t have a lot…of how you make that or how you’ll be there was always quite clear that I want to be in Formula One.”