Driver Confirms 2027 Race Seat Immediately After Missing Out on Haas Drive
One of the drivers snubbed by Haas for a 2027 Formula One race seat can at least fall back on a sweet drive elsewhere. Haas spent months considering their options in the event they decided to move on from Esteban Ocon and stepped up their plans after confirming the Frenchman will leave the team at the end of this season. Swayed by Rafael Camara's performance in a testing session at Portimao back in August, team principal Ayao Komatsu decided the Brazilian Formula 2 driver was the right man to hire for the vacancy.
TL;DR
- Haas selected Rafael Camara for their 2027 Formula One seat.
- Ryo Hirakawa, a candidate for the Haas seat and supported by Toyota, will continue with Toyota's WEC team for 2027.
- Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu assured Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda that the driver selection would be based on merit and performance.
- Komatsu explained that choosing a driver solely due to manufacturer backing would negatively impact the driver and the team's performance.
- Toyota was reportedly pleased with Haas's professional and fair driver assessment process.