Camara reflects on debut at home Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Rafael Camara has described a "very special" first taste of Formula 1 action, making his debut for Haas at his home race earlier than expected. The 21-year-old Brazilian stepped in after Esteban Ocon was confirmed to no longer compete for the US team for the rest of 2026, having already been signed to race for Haas in 2027.

Camara, who had never driven the Sao Paulo track before, recorded P18 in FP1 and P16 in FP2. He said the emotion of the home crowd was apparent before he got in the car, but that once he started driving he focused on the normal routine he has followed all his life. He also noted that the current generation of cars is very different from what he had previously experienced, although he had completed previous-car tests with Haas and Ferrari.

His first day was not without incident, as he was reprimanded by the stewards for impeding Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who was forced to take evasive action at Turn 15. The stewards described the situation as clearly dangerous.