Rafael Camara is expected to remain with Haas until the end of the current Formula 1 season, GPblog reports. If confirmed, the Brazilian will effectively end his participation in Formula 2, where he currently leads the overall standings by seven points ahead of Bulgarian talent Nikola Tsolov.
Only two race weekends remain in the Formula 2 season, and Camara’s absence would significantly change the battle for the championship crown. This would give Tsolov an excellent opportunity to fight for a historic title.
Changes to Haas’ driver line-up began as early as the last race weekend. The American team decided to immediately end its relationship with Esteban Ocon, and his place at the Mexican Grand Prix was taken by Ryo Hirakawa. The Japanese driver took advantage of the opportunity and even scored a point on his debut as the Frenchman’s replacement.
Haas initially considered the possibility of Hirakawa also driving in Brazil. Such a move, however, would have prevented him from taking part in the decisive stage of the World Endurance Championship title battle with Toyota. The Japanese driver leads the overall WEC standings, and the season concludes with the Monza race this weekend.
Ultimately, Haas’ choice for the São Paulo Grand Prix fell on Rafael Camara. The Brazilian, who is part of the Ferrari academy, has already secured a full-time seat with the American team for the 2027 season. The team’s initial announcement stated that he would participate only in his home race, but according to GPblog, he is expected to retain his seat at the upcoming races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
This development would be a serious blow for Hirakawa, who had hoped to receive more opportunities to compete in Formula 1.
Camara’s continuation among the fastest drivers means that he will likely miss the final two rounds of Formula 2. His place at Invicta Racing for the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi is expected to be taken by Freddie Slater. The young Audi driver has already been confirmed as a full-time driver for the leading team in the support championship next season.
Haas’ options for replacing Ocon until the end of the year were limited to Camara and Hirakawa. The reason is found in the Formula 1 regulations, according to which a team may use a maximum of four different drivers during a single season.
With Camara, Hirakawa, Ocon and Oliver Bearman having raced for the team, that limit has already been reached. As a result, the team’s other reserve driver, Jack Doohan, is ruled out as an option.
In this way, Haas’ personnel decisions could unexpectedly prove decisive for the outcome of the Formula 2 championship battle. If Camara indeed does not return to the support series, Nikola Tsolov will have an exceptional opportunity to challenge for the title in the final two rounds and achieve a historic feat for Bulgarian motor racing.