Rafa Câmara entered Cadillac’s radar for a possible Formula 1 seat after his recent performances in Formula 2. While the American team reevaluates its future plans, Colton Herta’s situation and Haas’s interest in the Brazilian driver have made the Ferrari Academy driver’s name gain traction in the market.
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The move is noteworthy because the 2026 debutant has always shown commitment to its current driver lineup. Still, there are signs that at least one seat may be available before the 2027 season. The main reason for this is the phase the Brazilian driver is experiencing, having achieved four pole positions and two victories, both in main races, in the last five F2 rounds.
At the same time, the US team closely follows Herta’s campaign in the category. Although also a rookie, the American lives a different reality from Câmara, as he only occupies 16th position in the championship and has a fifth place as his best result. Furthermore, he needs to score six points to secure the superlicence required to compete in Formula 1.
If he does not reach this score through the final F2 classification, he will depend on participating in FP1 sessions, which grant one point each. However, the four mandatory opportunities that Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas need to concede to rookies would not be enough to reach the required mark.
More than the superlicence issue, Cadillac is also evaluating whether Herta is ready to join the grid. The driver’s difficulties gained weight precisely because Hitech, his team, finished the 2025 Formula 2 teams’ championship in second place, despite an inconsistent campaign.
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In this scenario, Câmara appears as an increasingly attractive alternative. The Brazilian currently occupies third place in the championship but lost ground after an error in Monte Carlo. Without that result, he would be just three points behind the leader. Still, his performance throughout the season is considered one of the most consistent among the main title contenders.
His good performances have also attracted the interest of Haas. Recently, Rafa participated in a test with previous-year cars (TPC) promoted by Ferrari, an opportunity that strengthened his candidacy for a seat with the American team for 2027, replacing Esteban Ocon. Haas team principal, Ayao Komatsu, has already publicly expressed interest in the driver, who is expected to participate in another Ferrari test session at the end of August in Portimão, alongside Leonardo Fornaroli.
While Haas already has Oliver Bearman, a product of the Ferrari Driver Academy, a potential signing of Câmara would represent the first important link between Cadillac and Maranello, paving the way for a closer technical and sporting relationship between the two structures in the future.
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