Rafael Câmara is going up to Formula 1 next year. It was made official on Thursday (October 15) by Haas, taking the place of Esteban Ocon alongside Oliver Bearman.
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15/10/2026
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Orumors have been running for weeks and now confirmation emerged: Rafael Chamber is the elected of Haas for the spot left open by Esteban Ocon, debuting in Formula 1 next season. The contract shall be multiannual.
The 21-year-old thus duplicates the Brazilian presence in the platoon, joining Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – in what is also an increase in the representation of the Lusophonia in the platoon.
Impressive route in the promotion formulas
Rafael Câmara has been a driver at the Ferrari Driver Academy (such as Bearman) since 2021, currently competing in Formula 2 where he leads the championship. In August, he had his first experience in a single-place Formula 1 – went in Portimão to the Haas single-place commands last year, under the testing program with previous models.
The rise of the Pernambucan has been impressive: in 2022, first year in single places, was in the podium of three Formula 4 championships, taking only two years to reach its first title – the European Regional Formula in 2024.
Last year he reached Formula 3, saw and won, with the title in that which is the first step within the paddock of Formula 1. Progressed to Formula 2, where it has made a high-level debut season accounting for three wins and a total of five podiums to lead the two rounds of the end.
It should be noted that if the stages of Qatar and Abu Dhabi are cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East without being replaced, Rafael Câmara will automatically be champion.
“Important career”
In a statement, Rafael Câmara spoke of “an important step in the career” and thanked you for the confidence that the people responsible for the team are putting on you. Right now, is focused on “preparing yourself as best as possible for this new challenge”, expecting a lot of learning ahead.
Haas' owner, Gene Haas, used Oliver Bearman's example to defend that young pilots “are well prepared and can have an immediate impact on a team”. About Rafael Câmara, he said he made a good impression on the August test in Portimão and the promotion formulas.
Team leader Ayao Komatsu commented that what the Brazilian has done in the Formula 1 access championships “is very impressive”, and also showed in the F1 experience in Portimão “who can manage very well without needing a lot of time to learn the car“. At the time, said the person responsible, Rafael Câmara “managed to create an environment to extract the best from yourself“.