Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has firmly rejected suggestions that his Formula 1 team is becoming a Ferrari B team following the signing of Rafael Câmara for the 2027 season. The American outfit will field two drivers developed through the Ferrari Driver Academy, but the Japanese manager insists that Ferrari has placed no pressure on Haas over its driver choices.
The arrival of 21-year-old Brazilian Rafael Câmara on a multi-year contract means he is set to partner Oliver Bearman from 2027, replacing Esteban Ocon, who will leave at the end of the 2026 campaign. Both young drivers have links to Maranello’s development programme, prompting questions about whether Haas is increasingly operating as an extension of Ferrari rather than as an independent Formula 1 team.
Ayao Komatsu rejects Ferrari B-team claims
Asked by Sky Sports UK whether Rafael Câmara’s arrival could change perceptions of Haas’s identity, Ayao Komatsu dismissed the suggestion outright.
“No, honestly. Our collaboration with Ferrari gives us access to those Ferrari Academy drivers,” he explained.
The Haas team principal pointed out that the relationship had allowed the American outfit to evaluate Oliver Bearman in Mexico and subsequently Rafael Câmara during testing at Portimão. However, he stressed that access to Ferrari’s young-driver programme should not be confused with interference in Haas’s decision-making.
“At no point did Ferrari put pressure on us. Nobody told us to take Rafa because he had to be in F1. None of that,” Ayao Komatsu insisted.
He also made clear that the responsibility for selecting the team’s drivers rests entirely with himself and team owner Gene Haas.
“We choose the drivers ourselves, completely, myself and Mr Gene Haas. Yes, they are FDA drivers, their careers have been supported by Ferrari, but they are Haas drivers and we have no obligation or any pressure to take anyone from Ferrari. So that Ferrari B-team story is not even worth considering.”
The comments underline Haas’s determination to maintain its sporting independence despite its close relationship with Maranello. Ferrari’s academy has provided a route into Formula 1 for both drivers, but Ayao Komatsu maintains that the final decision belongs to Haas alone.
Why Haas chose Rafael Câmara for its 2027 F1 line-up
According to Ayao Komatsu, the decisive factor behind Rafael Câmara’s selection was his performance on track. The Brazilian impressed during testing, demonstrating natural speed and a strong feeling for the car, qualities that convinced the American team of his potential.
“He was the fastest, that’s a very simple answer. He was certainly impressive. I’ve always said we would choose drivers based on performance,” the Haas team principal explained.
Ayao Komatsu also highlighted Rafael Câmara’s qualifying performances at Monaco and Montreal in Formula 2 as examples of the young driver’s ability. Those displays, together with his testing performance, strengthened the case for offering him a full-time Formula 1 opportunity.
The Brazilian’s promotion follows the path established by his confirmed move from the Ferrari Driver Academy to Haas for 2027, representing another important step for Maranello’s young-driver development programme.
However, Ayao Komatsu’s explanation makes an important distinction. Ferrari’s involvement has helped create opportunities for its academy drivers to demonstrate their abilities, but Haas insists that those opportunities do not guarantee a race seat. The American team remains responsible for determining which drivers best meet its competitive requirements.
Ferrari relationship gives Haas access, not obligations
The close cooperation between Ferrari and Haas has inevitably attracted attention now that both of the team’s 2027 drivers have connections to the Italian manufacturer. Oliver Bearman has already demonstrated how the Ferrari Driver Academy can provide a pathway into a permanent Formula 1 seat, while Rafael Câmara is preparing to follow a similar route.
That relationship gives Haas the opportunity to assess promising young drivers who have benefited from Ferrari’s development structure. Nevertheless, the team’s management rejects the suggestion that Maranello can dictate how those opportunities are converted into race contracts.
Ayao Komatsu had already made clear that Ferrari connections would not determine Haas’s 2027 driver choices. His latest remarks reinforce that position following the confirmation of Rafael Câmara’s signing.
For Ferrari, the arrangement provides another opportunity for young talent developed through its academy to progress into Formula 1. For Haas, however, the priority remains selecting drivers who can deliver the strongest possible performances for the American team.
Haas unconcerned about rivalry between Oliver Bearman and Rafael Câmara
Ayao Komatsu also dismissed concerns that competition between Oliver Bearman and Rafael Câmara could become problematic if both drivers harbour ambitions of securing a future seat at Ferrari.
Rather than viewing that possibility as a threat, Haas intends to establish an environment in which both young drivers can develop and perform to their full potential. The team does not expect their individual career ambitions to interfere with its own objectives.
With both drivers emerging from the Ferrari Driver Academy, their partnership will naturally attract interest from those following the development and potential of Rafael Câmara and Oliver Bearman. However, Haas’s stated intention is to support their progress as members of its own Formula 1 team.
The Japanese manager expressed considerable enthusiasm about welcoming the Brazilian, emphasising the importance of nurturing his abilities and establishing a working relationship that allows both the driver and the team to develop together.
Haas therefore enters its preparations for 2027 with two young drivers closely associated with Ferrari, but Ayao Komatsu’s position remains unequivocal: their academy backgrounds may have opened the door to Formula 1, yet their selection was made by Haas on sporting merit, without obligations or pressure from Maranello.
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