Haas choose Rafael Câmara to replace Esteban Ocon for 2027
Haas have selected Rafael Câmara to replace Esteban Ocon for the 2027 Formula 1 season, according to a report citing paddock sources. The decision was finalised during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend after discussions between Haas and Ferrari, with a formal announcement expected next week.
Ocon is set to leave Haas after the 2026 campaign, but the team had not named his successor when his departure was announced. The Frenchman’s exit opened a seat alongside Oliver Bearman, and Câmara was among several drivers considered.
The reported choice follows a prolonged evaluation, with Haas also weighing its own reserve driver, Jack Doohan. The team’s decision comes as the 2027 line-up takes shape; Ocon’s departure was covered in our report on his planned Haas exit.
Câmara edged Doohan after Haas testing
Haas held a series of Testing of Previous Cars outings involving Câmara, Doohan, Toyota driver Ryo Hirakawa and McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli. Sources familiar with the tests reportedly viewed Câmara and Doohan as the leading candidates.
Câmara is understood to have matched the strong reputation he has built, while Doohan’s performance made the final call difficult for team management. The Brazilian is challenging for the Formula 2 title and would arrive with Ferrari’s backing, as well as substantial sponsorship from Brazil. His junior-category form has also drawn attention, including his Formula 2 pole at Monza.
Ferrari ties raise questions over Haas identity
A Câmara-Bearman pairing would give Haas two Ferrari Driver Academy graduates for 2027. The team already uses Ferrari engines, gearboxes and other components, and operates a design office in Maranello. Those links have prompted paddock debate over whether Haas could increasingly be viewed as Ferrari’s second team.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu addressed the perception during a media briefing in Sepang, saying that whichever candidate Haas chose would invite questions about the team’s identity. He noted that selecting Hirakawa could be interpreted through his Toyota connection, while Câmara would be seen as a Ferrari choice and Fornaroli as a McLaren-linked one. Komatsu said the differing interpretations did not concern him.
The wider debate over links between teams has also reached the sport’s governing body. McLaren CEO Zak Brown previously urged FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to act against B-teams and relationships he considers anti-competitive, following reports of Mercedes preparing to buy a stake in Alpine.
Haas’s reported decision therefore settles Ocon’s replacement, but also places the team’s relationship with Ferrari back in the spotlight. Further detail is expected when the announcement is made.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.