Haas reportedly identifies Esteban Ocon successor as Rafael Câmara deal nears completion – Formula 1 team Haas has reportedly decided to replace Esteban Ocon for the 2027 season, with Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara emerging as the leading candidate. According to Italian motorsport website Autoracer, the deal for the 21-year-old Brazilian is now “almost finalised” following recent testing in Jerez.
If the report proves accurate, Câmara would replace Ocon after the Frenchman’s current spell with Haas comes to an end following the 2026 season.
Haas has not publicly confirmed the reported decision. The team’s current 2026 line-up remains Ocon and Ollie Bearman, according to the official Haas website.
Jerez test reportedly settled the decision
According to Autoracer, Haas used recent testing in Jerez to assess several potential candidates for the 2027 seat.
Câmara was reportedly joined by Jack Doohan and Leonardo Fornaroli during the evaluation. The Brazilian allegedly produced the most convincing data, putting him at the front of the queue for the seat.
The report claims that team principal Ayao Komatsu was not Câmara’s strongest supporter during the process. Instead, team owner Gene Haas is said to have been particularly impressed by the data produced by the young Brazilian.
According to Autoracer, Gene Haas subsequently placed Câmara at the top of his preferred list of candidates.
That would represent a significant step towards the Brazilian making his Formula 1 debut in 2027.
Ferrari connection strengthens Câmara’s case
Another factor potentially working in Câmara’s favour is his relationship with Ferrari.
The Brazilian is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, meaning a move to Haas would fit a relationship that has already existed between the two organisations for several years.
Ferrari supplies Haas with power units, while the American team has previously provided a route into Formula 1 for members of Ferrari’s junior programme.
Mick Schumacher followed that pathway when he joined Haas for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, while Oliver Bearman subsequently made his full-time F1 debut with the team in 2025 after progressing through Ferrari’s junior system.
The possibility of Câmara becoming the next Ferrari-backed driver at Haas therefore follows an established pattern.
Haas could continue its Ferrari junior pathway
Câmara’s reported promotion would also give Haas a relatively young driver pairing if Bearman remains with the team for 2027.
However, the arrangement would also increase Haas’ reliance on Ferrari when it comes to its driver development pathway. That has prompted questions about whether the American team could become too closely tied to the Scuderia’s junior programme.
Nevertheless, the Autoracer report indicates that such concerns have not prevented Haas from moving towards Câmara.
For now, the key point is that the reported agreement remains unconfirmed. Haas’ official 2026 driver line-up still lists Ocon and Bearman, while the reported Câmara deal would apply to the 2027 season.
If the agreement is completed, Câmara would become the latest Ferrari junior to use Haas as a potential stepping stone into Formula 1.
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