Haas has concluded its candidate evaluation for 2027 without a clear favorite for the Formula 1 seat. According to information obtained by GPblog, Rafael Câmara, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Ryo Hirakawa showed very close performance during the test held in Portimão.
Read more F1: Wolff dismisses idea that Verstappen would not fit in Mercedes
The publication states that performance comparisons were made at least twice, possibly three times, involving Oliver Bearman as a reference and Hirakawa and Fornaroli. In these evaluations, the drivers were consistently separated by less than a tenth of a second, a scenario that made a clearer decision within the team difficult.
Câmara took over the car on the last day of activities but encountered different conditions from those previously recorded, which, according to the Dutch publication, makes a direct and fair comparison of times impossible. Still, the information is that the Brazilian left a “very positive” impression on Haas.
The team now needs to evaluate distinct profiles. Hirakawa is the oldest and most experienced of the three, with World Endurance titles and Toyota support. Fornaroli is regarded as a great talent and still carries the experience gained within the McLaren structure, including technical knowledge accumulated during his time with the team.
Read more MotoGP: Márquez takes the lead at the start and wins Sprint in Aragón
Câmara, in turn, is very well regarded by Ferrari. A possible downside would be his lower mileage in tests with F1 cars, while Haas also needs to decide whether it wants to keep two drivers loaned by Ferrari if Oliver Bearman remains with the team.
Haas has not yet announced its pairing for 2027. The expectation cited by the Dutch site is that Bearman will continue to be loaned by Ferrari for another season, while Esteban Ocon’s departure, although not yet official, appears increasingly likely.
Read more MotoGP: Check the championship standings after the Aragón GP Sprint
