Rafael Câmara, 21, replaces Esteban Ocon at Haas for the São Paulo GP By Thiago Lemos
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Rafael Câmara, a 21-year-old driver from Pernambuco, will make his Formula 1 debut at the São Paulo Grand Prix after Haas moved his arrival forward. The team had already signed him for 2027, but he now takes the seat held by Esteban Ocon this weekend. Ocon was removed from the car midway through the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, and Haas said the decision was not due to illness. Team principal Ayao Komatsu described the matter as an internal one.
Câmara’s first laps in the 2026 car come in the opening practice session on Friday, November 6, at Interlagos. He has never driven this car, and his only work with the 2026 machinery has been in Ferrari simulators during the year. He says those sessions do not reproduce the physical and aerodynamic demands of the São Paulo asphalt.
Without track mileage, he must learn quickly alongside Haas engineers how to set tyre pressures and balance the wings before the timed laps begin. In August, Haas gave him a Testing of Previous Cars outing at the Algarve circuit in Portimão, in Portugal, where he drove the team’s VF-25. That test was his only previous running in a Haas.
“I think I have zero intimacy, right? I’ve never driven this car. Everything will happen in the first free practice: getting to know the car and talking with the engineers to understand what we can do in the race. I drove the Ferrari simulators this year, but it’s completely different. I want to use my time here in São Paulo to get used to the Haas car and arrive well for Sunday’s race,” said Câmara in an exclusive interview at the Interlagos circuit.
The sudden promotion puts Câmara against rivals he knows from his years in European junior categories. He will race again against Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who recently became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history with Mercedes. The two competed in the 2022 Formula 4 season and the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship.
“It’s a bit strange to see Kimi winning the world title so early, but he certainly deserves to be where he is today. We raced together since we were kids, in karting, and we have known each other for a long time. For me, it was good to have him as a colleague, because he pushed me to chase him and helped me evolve and develop,” Câmara said while analysing the Italian’s rise.
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The 2026 grid also ends a ten-season gap in which Brazil had no two drivers on the grid at Interlagos at the same time. Câmara’s presence sits alongside Gabriel Bortoleto, who drives for Audi, a pairing that reflects a generational change in Brazilian motorsport. Both drivers say their friendship away from the track will not reduce their competitiveness once the lights go out.
“On track, everyone tries their best, and you have to do everything to reach your goal, thinking about the team. Gabriel and I have known each other since we were little and have always respected each other, a very good relationship. It won’t change much, because racing is a separate matter,” Câmara said about his duel with his compatriot.
Times and TV channels for every Interlagos session
Live coverage of the Grand Prix runs on television and in digital channels. Brazilian viewers can follow each session at the times below, all in Brasília time.
- Friday: Practice 1 from 12:30 to 13:30, with TV coverage opening at 11:30 on sportv 3
- Friday: Practice 2, start at 16:00 on sportv 3
- Saturday: Practice 3 at 11:30 on sportv 3
- Saturday: Official qualifying at 15:00 on TV Globo, sportv 3 and ge
- Sunday: Race, start at 14:00, with broadcast from 13:30 on TV Globo, sportv 3 and ge
Haas will track fuel consumption and brake temperatures through the team’s garage telemetry once Câmara leaves the pit for his first laps. The TGR Haas F1 team confirmed in its statement that he will partner Ollie Bearman at the São Paulo Grand Prix, Round 20 of the 2026 championship. Haas has not yet confirmed its line-up for the Las Vegas race on November 22.
