Haas Part Ways with Ocon, Confirm Rafael Camara for Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Pulse Sports Team 21:41 - 03 November 2026

The Haas Formula 1 team has officially announced its split with Esteban Ocon, just days after the Frenchman was replaced by Ryo Hirakawa for the Mexico City Grand Prix. In the same announcement, the American outfit confirmed that Rafael Camara will make his Formula 1 debut at his home race during this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

For now, Camara is only confirmed for the race weekend at Interlagos, with Haas yet to reveal who will drive in the final three rounds in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi—assuming the latter two go ahead as planned. According to reports in Brazilian media earlier today, Camara is also set to feature in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with Hirakawa stepping in for Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

"Decisions like this are never taken lightly, as was the case in Mexico City. But just as then, we are convinced that this is the best decision with the team's future interests in mind," said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. "The conversations that took place between the team and Esteban, which ultimately led to this situation, remain an internal matter. We will continue to respect the confidentiality of discussions held behind closed doors. "As for the upcoming race, we have chosen Rafael Camara to drive alongside Ollie Bearman at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Following his excellent performance during Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) in August, we are well aware of Rafa's capabilities. We look forward to welcoming him to the team this weekend and working with him during his Formula 1 debut behind the wheel of the VF-26 in Brazil," the Japanese boss added.