Camara to make home F1 debut in Brazil as Haas rules out Ocon’s return

SAO PAULO – Brazilian Rafael Camara will make his Formula One race debut at home in Sao Paulo this weekend after the Haas team ruled out any return for dropped driver Esteban Ocon.

Ocon was sidelined ahead of last Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix for unspecified reasons unrelated to his health, and was replaced by Japanese reserve Ryo Hirakawa, who ended up 10th.

Hirakawa has World Endurance Championship commitments with Toyota this weekend.

Formula Two leader and Ferrari Driver Academy driver Camara, 21, was announced last month as the Frenchman’s replacement for 2027.

“We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 team this season,” said team principal Ayao Komatsu in a statement on Tuesday.

“Such decisions are never made lightly, as was the case in Mexico City — but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interest of the team moving forward,” added the Japanese.

“The conversations that ultimately unfolded between the team and Esteban remain an internal matter, and we will continue to respect the private nature of closed-door situations.”

Ocon has denied “any form of physical violence” had led to him being sidelined but admitted to “a difference in viewpoints” with the team.

Camara impressed Haas when he tested one of its previous cars last August.

Haas is seventh in the constructors’ championship and only four points ahead of Audi. Britain’s Ollie Bearman has scored 23 of its 31 points from 19 races so far.

Audi also has a Brazilian driver in Gabriel Bortoleto, who was eighth in Mexico.