Ferrari protégé reportedly impressed Haas at a Portimao test
Haas has completed its 2027 driver line-up, and the decision carries consequences well beyond the team’s base in Banbury. On Thursday, the team confirmed Rafael Câmara, a 21-year-old Brazilian from the Ferrari Driver Academy, on a multi-year contract to replace Esteban Ocon. Paddock sources suggest that a private test earlier this year left some inside Haas convinced Câmara was quicker than Oliver Bearman would have been in the same car. That assessment is unconfirmed, yet it sharpens a question Ferrari will eventually have to answer: who succeeds Lewis Hamilton?
What Happened at the Portimao Test
The evidence centres on a test at Portimao in Portugal in August. Haas ran Câmara in its 2025 car under the Testing of Previous Cars regulations, which allow teams to give mileage to drivers in older machinery. Jack Doohan, Leonardo Fornaroli and Ryo Hirakawa also received opportunities to test for the team, so Câmara was assessed against a varied shortlist rather than a single rival.
Sources close to the team describe Câmara as the clear favourite on pace by the end of that process. The more striking claim is that Bearman, who drove briefly on the day to establish a reference, would not have matched Câmara’s speed even with a full run plan. That view reflects internal opinion rather than published data, and it does not make Câmara the faster driver or the better prospect overall. No verified lap times have been released, and the two drivers did not follow an equivalent programme, so the comparison should be read as a signal of Haas’s confidence rather than a result.
A Junior Career Built on Raw Speed
Câmara arrives with credentials that justify the attention. He is the reigning Formula 3 champion and, at the time of the announcement, led the 2026 Formula 2 standings for Invicta Racing with 207 points and two rounds remaining. He had won in Spain, Belgium and Azerbaijan, added six podiums and taken five pole positions, and held a seven-point advantage over Red Bull-backed Nikola Tsolov.
His qualifying record is the headline. He claimed seven poles on the way to the 2024 Formula Regional European title and five from nine rounds in Formula 3 in 2025, a strike rate rarely seen in the modern era. He has been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, the same programme that produced Bearman.
His weaknesses are just as visible. Racecraft and decision-making remain the principal gamble, with an error rate in Formula 2 that leaves his race management less polished than his one-lap speed. Bearman faced similar criticism during his rookie season, which suggests the issue is correctable, although it will be tested immediately against a more demanding grid.
Why Ferrari Is Watching Haas So Closely
Haas is not an ordinary customer team. Ferrari supplies its power unit and many of its components, and both expected 2027 drivers come from Maranello’s academy. Bearman has long been viewed as the natural successor to Hamilton, and Câmara’s arrival turns the coming season into an ongoing audition should an opportunity arise.
That audition is not imminent. Hamilton confirmed at the Canadian Grand Prix that his contract covers at least 2027, and Charles Leclerc signed a new Ferrari deal in June 2026, reportedly running to 2028. Hamilton, now 41, has also enjoyed a stronger season than his first at Ferrari. Ferrari therefore has time, but time brings its own pressure: Bearman must prove he is ready, while Câmara must show that his pace survives the step up to Grand Prix racing.
The Pressure Now on Oliver Bearman
Bearman, also 21, is widely expected to stay at Haas for a third full season, although the team has yet to confirm him officially. By most accounts he has had the better of Ocon on raw speed this year, which strengthens his claim to a Ferrari future. Câmara’s arrival changes the terms of that claim.
For the first time, Bearman will share a garage with a team-mate who arrives with comparable academy backing, a championship-winning junior record and a reputation for immediate pace. If the hype proves real, Bearman will need to find another gear in 2027. If it does not, his position as Ferrari’s preferred long-term option will be reinforced rather than diminished.
The pairing suits Haas as well. Two young drivers competing to impress Formula 1’s most storied team leaves little room for complacency, and it gives the team two ambitious drivers pushing each other forward.
What Ocon’s Exit Means for Haas
Ocon, 30, leaves with one grand prix victory and no confirmed seat for 2027. His departure was announced on 30 September after two seasons that failed to meet expectations. His experience was valuable to the team, but by most measures his speed and consistency did not justify what Haas was investing, and the decision to pursue youth reflects that calculation.
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Official Reaction from Haas
In the team’s announcement, Câmara thanked owner Gene Haas and team principal Ayao Komatsu for their trust and described the signing as an important step in his career. Komatsu said he was excited to sign such a young and talented driver, while Gene Haas pointed to Câmara’s progress through Formula 3 and Formula 2 as the basis for his confidence.
Our Verdict on the Câmara Signing
The headline claim deserves precision. Câmara has not beaten Bearman in a grand prix, and the Portimao comparison rests on unnamed sources and a brief reference run. What can be verified is the signing itself, the pairing of two Ferrari academy graduates and Ferrari’s contractual position with Hamilton and Leclerc.
If Câmara’s pace holds, Ferrari faces an easier talent question but a harder timing one. Judge it over a full season, not a test day.
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