Thursday saw important movements in the Formula 1 driver market. Rafael Câmara took another step in his preparation to compete for a seat at Haas in 2027, while Franco Colapinto had his stay confirmed by Alpine and George Russell positioned McLaren as the team to beat at this point in the season.
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The main Brazilian highlight was Rafa Câmara. Before the evaluation with Haas in Portimão, the Pernambuco driver participated in a Ferrari test in Mugello with an old F1 car. Câmara completed some laps to adapt to the characteristics and demands of the equipment and, a few hours later, left Italy heading to Portugal. He is competing for the possible seat of Esteban Ocon with Leonardo Fornaroli and Ryo Hirakawa.
At Alpine, Colapinto ended one of the doubts for 2027 by renewing with the team and ensuring continuity alongside Pierre Gasly. The Argentine stated he is satisfied with the project’s evolution, while Flavio Briatore highlighted the importance of consistency and made it clear that the priority now is to deliver a car capable of fighting for front positions. The confirmation also eliminates a possible alternative for Fernando Alonso, who has not yet officially announced his plans for next year.
In the fight for performance, Russell acknowledged the shift in forces seen in recent stages. After Lando Norris’s wins in Hungary and the Netherlands, the Mercedes driver stated that McLaren is currently “the team to beat.” Russell believes Monza may favor Mercedes more, but also pointed out the possibility of Ferrari gaining strength with an engine update.
Norris himself remained in the spotlight by rebutting criticism about his starts. After losing the lead to Kimi Antonelli in one of the starts of the Dutch GP and later regaining the position to win, the British driver rejected the idea that this aspect remains a weakness in his performance.
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Haas, on the other hand, is going through a more delicate moment within the season. Oliver Bearman stated that the team has fallen to the position of the tenth force on the grid, attributing the loss of ground mainly to the difficulty in keeping up with the update frequency of rivals. Ayao Komatsu also stated that the team is in no rush to define its 2027 duo, precisely while different candidates continue to be evaluated.
Outside the direct competition between teams, the new Madrid circuit also drew attention. The first official Formula 3 tests at MADRING recorded 19 red flags and involved ten different drivers in incidents, raising points of concern before Formula 1 arrives in September.
The day also had Norris leading Pirelli tests in Mugello for the 2027 tires, working alongside Ayumu Iwasa and Nico Hülkenberg. The activity focused on the harder compounds, while the technical preparation for the next category cycle continues advancing alongside the current competition.
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