Autosport writers split over Haas’s choice of Camara to replace Ocon

Rafael Camara will make his F1 debut with Haas in 2027 as Esteban Ocon’s replacement, a choice that divides three Autosport writers: two support the promotion, while one argues the team is giving up too much experience.

Camara, 21, won the Formula Regional European Championship in 2024 and the Formula 3 title in 2025. When the debate was published on 15 October 2026, he led the Formula 2 standings by seven points.

Ben Vinel points to the qualifying pace behind Camara’s rise: seven poles on the way to the 2024 regional title and five poles out of nine in the 2025 F3 campaign. Vinel sees that speed and potential as reason to back the rookie, while acknowledging a costly mistake: Camara locked up and retired in Monaco as he fought Nikola Tsolov for victory.

Oleg Karpov stresses what Haas would be giving up. Ocon, a winner of the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, brings experience; Karpov argues that Ocon’s lower points total than Oliver Bearman is not decisive, given the VF-26’s inconsistency and Ocon’s account that only a handful of races gave him a proper chance to push. Karpov also asks whether pressure from Ferrari to take another Academy junior could have influenced the choice.

Ed Hardy backs a longer-term bet: after the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship and 2025 F3 titles, a 2026 Formula 2 crown would make Camara, in Hardy’s view, the only driver to have won all three in consecutive seasons. Hardy also acknowledges that Ocon’s results had improved recently, but sees Camara’s potential as a rare opportunity for Haas. The disagreement is about time horizon: Karpov weighs the value Haas gives up now; Vinel and Hardy see what Camara might become.