Rafael Camara to replace Ocon in Haas lineup for 2027
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 29, 2026
Camara to Haas
Haas have locked in Ferrari junior Camara for 2027, and the move sets up a direct swap at the team, with Camara expected to replace Ocon. The deal gives Haas a clear picture of its long-term lineup and points to a new era built around two young drivers with Ferrari ties. Camara is expected to join Oliver Bearman, which would give Haas a double Ferrari junior pairing. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has already made his view clear, calling Camara “very talented.” The signing also underlines how aggressively Haas is building for the future while keeping its present stable through the end of the current contract cycle.
Ocon will finish his Haas deal through the end of 2026, and his final race for the team is expected to come in Abu Dhabi in December. After that, he is set to move to Toyota’s factory World Endurance Championship team in 2027. That timeline leaves Haas with a clean handoff instead of a midstream change, and it gives Ocon a full run to the finish before he turns to a new challenge. The expected split also keeps the team’s planning orderly. Haas gets a 2027 lineup reset, Ocon gets a full contract runout and both sides know the direction well before the next season arrives.
Ocon’s Haas Exit
Camara arrives with a strong record in the junior categories and a season that has kept him near the front of the Formula 2 fight. He reclaimed the points lead in Baku after winning the feature race there, and he also has victories at Barcelona and Spa. Across the season, he has led Formula 2 qualifying on average, a sign of the raw pace that has made him one of the more closely watched drivers in the feeder series. He already owns the Formula 3 title from last year, which adds another line to a resume that is moving quickly toward the top level.
Haas has had a close look at him before this deal. Camara tested with the team at Portimao last month, and he had already impressed in testing over the summer. Those runs helped show the team what it could expect beyond the numbers in Formula 2. James Robinson, the Invicta team boss, said Camara’s pace is “incredible” and said he is ready for Formula 1. Camara has backed that up with his own confidence, saying he feels prepared because he has been driving fast cars for years. The testing and the junior results gave Haas enough evidence to move forward with the signing.
Camara’s F2 Case
The full picture on Camara is more nuanced than the headline pace. His speed has been obvious, but his season has also included costly mistakes in Montreal, Monaco and other races. That mix helps explain why people around him keep returning to the same point, the talent is there, but the next step depends on turning more of it into clean weekends. Camara and Robinson both have said he still needs to reduce errors and improve his race starts if he wants to convert that speed into a permanent Formula 1 seat. The message from the driver and the team is aligned, raw pace first, sharper execution next.
That balance is what makes the Haas move interesting. Camara is coming in as a proven junior champion with Formula 2 wins, strong qualifying form and testing experience with the team. He also arrives with clear development points that fit the reality of a rookie path into Formula 1. Haas is betting that the speed will hold up and the mistakes will come down. If that happens, the team will have a young pairing with Bearman and Camara that could grow together. For now, the deal marks the next step in a move that has been building all season, and it puts Camara on course for a full-time Formula 1 seat with one of the sport’s most familiar junior development pipelines.
