Ferrari is intensifying its efforts to help Rafael Camara secure a Formula 1 debut with Haas in 2027, with team principal Fred Vasseur publicly detailing the considerable investment already made in the Brazilian’s development. The move could also deepen the relationship between the two teams and give Maranello greater influence over Haas’s future driver line-up.
Camara currently appears to be the leading candidate for a potential vacancy created by Esteban Ocon’s expected departure, but the situation is not yet settled. McLaren is pushing reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli for the same opportunity, while Toyota’s position within Haas could become another important factor in the final decision.
Rafael Camara’s 2027 Haas bid gains major Ferrari support
Speaking to Brazilian outlet UOL and journalist Julianne Cerasoli, Fred Vasseur explained that Ferrari’s commitment to Camara extended far beyond conventional financial assistance. According to the Frenchman, the Italian team has provided financial backing connected to Camara and Haas while investing even more heavily in the driver’s preparation through testing with older Formula 1 cars.
Vasseur emphasised that the cost of those private running programmes was substantially greater than the direct financial support. The objective was to prepare Camara as thoroughly as possible for a test scheduled for the following week and for the demands he could face during the 2027 season.
The Ferrari team principal also indicated that Haas, as a partner of the Scuderia, was expected to explore the best possible route for bringing the Brazilian into Formula 1 next year. His comments add considerable public weight to Camara’s ambitions of making his F1 debut in 2027.
How Rafael Camara could transform Ferrari’s Haas partnership
Ferrari already supplies Haas with power units and maintains a close working relationship with the American-owned team. That cooperation has also given members of the Ferrari Driver Academy an alternative route into Formula 1 when an immediate seat at the Scuderia is unavailable.
Oliver Bearman is the clearest current example. The British driver has been able to establish himself in Formula 1 with Haas while remaining closely linked to Maranello, leaving Ferrari with an important role in Bearman’s long-term future.
If Camara were to join Bearman at Haas in 2027, the team would field two drivers under contract with Ferrari. That would make the partnership considerably more influential and could leave Haas resembling an unofficial Ferrari affiliate, in a relationship comparable to the one between Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
Such an arrangement would allow the Maranello team to provide two academy prospects with valuable race experience outside its own works operation. It would also represent a further step in Ferrari’s efforts to secure an F1 pathway for Camara, although another possible route may remain available if Haas ultimately chooses a different driver.
Leonardo Fornaroli and McLaren complicate the Haas decision
Camara had emerged as the favourite for the 2027 seat several weeks earlier, helped by Ferrari’s relationship with Haas and the financial investment connected to his candidacy. Cerasoli reported that the combination of that support and Maranello’s direct backing had placed the Brazilian in a strong position to replace Ocon.
However, McLaren’s push to place Leonardo Fornaroli at Haas has complicated the contest. The Woking team is believed to be advocating just as forcefully for its reserve driver because it considers the Italian ready to make the step into Formula 1.
Toyota’s involvement could work against Fornaroli, at least during the initial discussions. As Haas’s technical partner and title sponsor, the Japanese manufacturer may regard the McLaren reserve as a potential threat to Ryo Hirakawa, the Japanese Formula 1 hopeful Toyota has been supporting.
That consideration gives Camara an unusual advantage in the contest, even though it is partly based on Toyota’s own driver interests rather than Ferrari’s influence alone. The Brazilian nevertheless remains the clear favourite at present, but an attractive proposal from McLaren could still persuade Haas to select Fornaroli instead.
The outcome would therefore affect more than a single place on the 2027 grid. A Camara appointment would strengthen Ferrari’s existing alliance with Haas and create an increasingly important development route for Maranello’s young drivers, while Fornaroli’s arrival would give McLaren a valuable foothold within another Formula 1 team.
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