Who is Rafael Camara? He could be the one to take Esteban Ocon’s place and maybe even follow in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps at Ferrari.
The surprising early exit of Esteban Ocon from Haas has opened the door for a new F1 star to shine: Rafael Camara. This young Brazilian driver will get to make his dream debut at his home race, the Sao Paulo GP, held at the famous Interlagos track.
Rafael is one of Ferrari’s top young talents and is currently leading the Formula 2 championship. He could soon step up to F1 full-time, possibly even replacing Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in the near future. Here’s what you need to know about him.
Brazil is famous for its love of racing, and this weekend, Interlagos will be buzzing with fans cheering for their new home hero. Camara will race for Haas, taking over Ocon’s place after his unexpected departure.
Though Camara was already signed to join Haas next year, he now gets an early start by racing this weekend. He’s leading the F2 championship—the main stepping stone to F1—and has proven himself as a winner many times before.
Born in 2005, Camara dominated karting in Brazil and Europe. He won big karting titles like Italy’s WSK Champions Cup and Belgium’s Champions of the Future in 2021. His success earned him a place at Ferrari’s driver scouting camp, where he impressed and joined their junior program alongside future teammate Ollie Bearman.
Camara debuted in car racing in 2022 in the F4 UAE Championship and was close to winning the title before a crash at the final round. He went on to win the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship with the well-known Prema team and the 2025 F3 title, beating top rivals along the way.
This year, he moved up to F2. Although he had a rough start with mixed results, things improved after the Spanish round. He won the feature race in Spain and kept climbing the standings, finally taking the lead after winning in Baku.
His strong performances caught Haas’s attention. Over the summer, he impressed in a tough test against other top drivers like Jack Doohan and 2025 F1 champ Leonardo Fornaroli. Haas boss Ayao Komatsu praised his ability to adapt quickly to tricky conditions and improve lap times steadily.
Camara and Bearman, both Ferrari juniors, seem set to be the future replacements for Lewis Hamilton. Haas works closely with Ferrari, sharing engines and tech, which makes this partnership a perfect fit.
After Ocon left Haas suddenly, Ryo Hirakawa stepped in for the Mexico GP but couldn’t race in Brazil due to his commitments in the World Endurance Championship. That gave Haas the chance to bring Camara in early for his F1 debut at his home Grand Prix.
Camara said, “I’m really thankful to TGR Haas F1 Team for this opportunity, and to Ferrari for their ongoing support. Making my Formula 1 debut in Brazil is very special. I know there’s a lot to learn, and I’m focused on working closely with the team, understanding the car, and doing my best this weekend.”