Rafa Camara set to make his F1 debut at the Brazil GP as Esteban Ocon departs from Haas.
The Haas F1 team has announced that Esteban Ocon will no longer compete for the organization, as 2027 newcomer Rafa Camara is set to make his debut this weekend on familiar ground.
After a significant deterioration in the relationship between Ocon and the team, a fiery dispute in Mexico was the tipping point that led team principal Ayao Komatsu to decide to sideline the French driver. Reserve driver and Toyota prospect took Ocon's place starting Saturday in Mexico, managing to clinch a point on his debut with a 10th place finish. The team has now confirmed that Ocon, who will be a free agent next year, will not be returning.
"We have now informed Esteban Ocon that he will not be reinstated to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season," Komatsu stated.
"Such choices are never made lightly, as was evident in Mexico City - but we believe this is clearly in the best interest of the team moving forward. The discussions that ultimately transpired between the team and Esteban remain confidential, and we will continue to honor the private nature of closed-door matters."
Ferrari junior Camara, who was already contracted by Haas to take over for Ocon in 2027, will take the controls of the VF-26 at Interlagos. The Brazilian, who currently leads the Formula 2 championship and made a remarkable impression on Haas during private testing, will get the chance to kick off his F1 career several months earlier than planned.
The final approval was granted on Tuesday afternoon, even though Camara had already been on standby during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend after Ocon's abrupt exit from the Haas lineup. At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the American team fielded Ryo Hirakawa as a temporary substitute while evaluating its options for the remaining races of the season.
It is still unclear whether Camara or Hirakawa will compete for the team in the upcoming rounds at Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, though it is likely that both drivers will share the responsibilities.
Rafa Camara has undertaken extensive testing with Ferrari and Haas in previous generation machinery.
Although Camara has yet to drive a 2026 F1 car, he will not be stepping into his high-stakes home debut without preparation. Throughout the season, he has completed five Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions, four in Ferrari's SF-25 and one in the Haas VF-25.
The latter occurred in August at Portimao in Portugal and was pivotal in showcasing the US-owned team's confidence in his innate talent.
"Looking ahead, we've selected Rafael Camara to race alongside Ollie Bearman at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix," Komatsu confirmed.
"Having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we are confident in Rafa's abilities and eagerly anticipate his integration into the team this weekend as he embarks on his Formula 1 debut driving the VF-26 in Brazil."
This shift in plans will also affect Ferrari. The FP1 session originally designated for Camara on Friday morning will now be given to Dino Beganovic, providing the Swedish driver with another chance to get behind the wheel of the Maranello team's car.
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