Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu explains why Rafael Camara was signed for 2027

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Haas announced on 16 October 2026 that it has signed Rafael Camara for the 2027 Formula 1 season, and team principal Ayao Komatsu has outlined why the squad moved to secure the Ferrari junior’s long-term future. Speaking in an exclusive conversation connected to the announcement, Komatsu said, “We see huge potential in Rafa,” adding that the team is “really excited” to “maximise his potential” while growing “together.”

Komatsu’s comments framed the deal around the age profile of Haas’s 2027 driver line-up. With Ollie Bearman expected to continue, Haas will enter the 2027 campaign with two 21-year-olds. Komatsu noted the scale of the youth involved by contrasting their combined age with that of double world champion Fernando Alonso, who is older than the two of them combined.

A central factor in Haas’s assessment, according to Komatsu, was Camara’s demonstrated pace through his junior-car career. Komatsu referenced Camara’s title-winning F3 season last year and his F2 progress this year, where he built momentum “across the year” and took the championship lead most recently in Baku.

Komatsu also pointed to an internal evaluation of Camara in Haas machinery during a two-day test in Portimão, Portugal, in August. He said the 21-year-old was run in “old-spec Haas machinery,” and he highlighted the session’s context as a multi-driver comparison that included other young competitors such as Leo Fornaroli (last year’s F2 winner and McLaren reserve), plus Haas’s reserve pair Jack Doohan and Toyota-backed Ryo Hirawaka.

Describing what impressed him most, Komatsu cited Camara’s ability to understand grip levels and adjust to changing conditions without losing composure. He said Camara showed a “pretty impressive lap time” in cooler weather, then continued to improve as the car became more difficult to drive when conditions worsened, emphasising that the driver “didn’t panic at all.” Komatsu further said that after additional runs—separated by a four-hour gap in which conditions changed again—Camara’s rate of improvement was “incredible.”

Beyond lap times, Komatsu said Camara stood out in how he handled pressure and approached performance. In his account, Camara’s mindset was not oriented toward the result, but toward controllable factors. Komatsu described the driver’s focus as thinking, “How can I be the best version of myself?” and then “maximised everything,” concluding that the overall package was “impressive.”

The decision, Komatsu said, followed discussions between him and Haas team owner Gene Haas about driver options for the second seat to replace Esteban Ocon. He characterised the selection process as close, saying: “It was close,” and describing that the drivers in contention delivered strong performances and showed “second to none” attitude while managing pressure in a professional way.

Komatsu said Camara emerged as a frontrunner after demonstrating that approach both on and off track. He also noted that Gene Haas had already followed Camara’s progress in F2 this season, which helped the team reach agreement quickly.

Haas’s move to sign a rookie for 2027 could be viewed as a risk, Komatsu acknowledged by framing the step as potentially bold. However, he argued Haas has previously proved it can develop young drivers, pointing to Bearman’s route into the team. Komatsu referenced Bearman arriving after a standout “super sub” moment for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia in 2024, then producing encouraging performances and peaking with a strong P4 finish in Mexico, before continuing to outperform Ocon during the 2026 season.

With Camara’s long-term role confirmed, Komatsu said Camara’s immediate priority remains securing the F2 championship. The team principal referenced two rounds still to run, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi named for the next stages of the season.

In the run-up to the end of 2026, Komatsu indicated Camara will begin integration activities with Haas. According to Komatsu’s account, that is expected to include a run in FP1 this year—most likely at the driver’s home event in Brazil—and additional mileage during the end-of-season young driver test in Abu Dhabi.

While Haas has not announced the identity of Camara’s 2027 team mate, Komatsu confirmed it is his intention to keep Bearman. He said it is “a matter of time” but “not fully under my control,” and pointed to Bearman’s speed and racecraft, including “the overtakes that he did” in Singapore that Komatsu described as “amazing.”

Komatsu also cited Bearman’s responsiveness during periods when the car was not performing. He described frustration as inevitable for drivers when results fall sharply relative to prior strong runs, but said Bearman showed awareness and mindset to shift quickly—answering, in effect, “Okay how can I motivate this thing, how can I pick everyone up?” Komatsu concluded that this character trait supports the team’s objective to continue with Bearman next year.