Ferrari junior driver Rafael Camara has just completed a TPC test with Haas at Portimao, immediately fueling speculation that he is preparing to secure a Formula 1 race seat for 2027.
Haas has been actively conducting Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) at the Algarve International Circuit, and this time they invited Camara to drive the VF-25. He was joined by Ryo Hirakawa and McLaren junior Leonardo Fornaroli. Camara's presence amidst the F1 'silly season' chatter is hardly a coincidence.
The speculation arises amid an uneasy situation for Esteban Ocon. Although Haas's 2026 driver line-up of Oliver Bearman and Ocon has been announced, the VF-26's declining performance against rivals has reportedly made Ocon's position shaky. Bearman appears safe, but Ocon is said to have lost favor with the team.
If Ocon were to leave, Rafael Camara could become a strong candidate. This test could serve as a clever audition for the Brazilian to lock in a full-time race seat in 2027.
The close relationship between Ferrari and Haas has long been a common pathway for junior drivers. As the engine supplier, Ferrari often 'loans' its young drivers to Haas for development, as seen with Bearman, who successfully climbed the ladder to F1 through this route.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur emphasized full support for Camara. "We are supporting Rafa massively. It's not just about financial support, but we did a lot of TPC this year with him. The cost is much, much higher than the support, and it's to prepare him in the best position for the test and for the next season," he said.
Camara, the 2025 F3 champion, is currently in a tight battle for the 2026 F2 title. He needs to close a 22-point gap to Nikola Tsolov, starting next weekend at Monza. If he succeeds, his path to F1 will surely widen.
Baca Juga
Rafael Camara, pembalap junior Ferrari, menjalani tes TPC bersama Haas di Portimao. Spekulasi kursi F1 2027 menguat di tengah ketidakpastian masa depan Esteban Ocon.
Lando Norris perpanjang kontrak dengan McLaren hingga 2030. Ia bangga habiskan karier di tim yang dicintainya dan menargetkan lebih banyak gelar juara.
Bernie Collins memperingatkan Williams soal beban finansial akibat tabrakan Sainz-Albon di Zandvoort. Tim harus hindari insiden serupa di tengah krisis anggaran.
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