Diverging F1 paths for Esteban Ocon and the rookie replacing him at Haas

Brazilian rising star Rafael Câmara is set to move into Esteban Ocon’s Haas seat for the 2027 Formula 1 season, the team confirmed last week.

Parallel beginnings, in terms of talent, but for the latter, that similar promise has not materialized. Ocon appears out of Formula 1 entirely, at least for now, while Câmara looks like the rookie sensation of the moment.

"We see huge potential in Rafa,” Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu said to F1.com on the day the American team announced they had signed the Ferrari junior and Formula 2 championship leader for next season.

"He's somebody with whom we can grow together, so I'm really excited to make sure that we can maximize his potential.”

That was once the case for Ocon, too.

Ocon, now 30, won his first title at the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Prema, ahead of Tom Blomqvist and Max Verstappen. He then won the 2015 GP3 Series with ART, achieving 14 podium finishes in 18 races before making his F1 debut at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix with Manor at 19-years-old.

Following a stint at Racing Point and then a reserve driver role at Mercedes, Ocon returned as a full-time driver with Renault in 2020, taking his maiden podium finish at the Sakhir Grand Prix.

Ocon certainly looked the part in the potential department even later at the age of 24. After winning the Hungarian Grand Prix amid the team's rebrand to Alpine in 2021, and three more seasons of mild success, including his third career podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2023 and fourth at the São Paulo Grand Prix in 2024, he left the team and moved to Haas for 2025, alongside Oliver Bearman.

These last two years were supposed to be Ocon’s time. To date, he has achieved one race win, one fastest lap and four podiums in the pinnacle of global motorsport, none of which with Haas. Good, but not good enough, especially at 30, to keep your seat in F1.

Youth movement with a twist

Enter the 21-year-old Câmara. The reigning Formula 3 champion and current F2 leader joins Haas on a multi-year deal to partner with fellow Ferrari Driver Academy member Bearman, while Ocon remains without a move for next season.  

Perhaps even more interesting is what this means for Bearman. Câmara's signing sets up an interesting situation. Bearman has long been seen as thenext in line to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. However, Câmara's arrival will likely force the narrative that it's an ongoing audition.

And to think, this latest development could be tied to one test in Portimao.

Former Alpine driver Jack Doohan, McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, and Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa were all given opportunities to test for the team, but sources told ESPN that Câmara emerged as the clear favorite thanks to his pace. Haas gave him mileage in the 2025 car under the Testing of Previous Car (TPC) rules at Portugal's Portimao circuit in August.

Simply put, Haas sees a chance to sign a highly promising talent, when it has become clear that Ocon hasn’t fulfilled his.

It also bolsters the team’s partnership with Ferrari, their longtime engine supplier and technical partner.

Team owner Gene Haas told ESPN that he’s excited to see what Câmara can achieve in F1.

“It's a different challenge at this level but what we've experienced through Ollie Bearman following a similar trajectory and association with the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, these younger drivers are well prepared, and they can make an immediate impact on a team. Rafa impressed the team with his TPC performance, so we look forward to building on that and growing our relationship full-time next season.”

With Bearman expected to get a third season with the team, it'll mean Haas will take on 2027 with a pair of 21-year-olds. In the process, the two will form the youngest partnership on the grid by combined age.

"Now my focus is on preparing myself in the best possible way for this new challenge," Câmara told the Associated Press, ahead of this week's United States Grand Prix, a home race for Haas.

Clearly, F1 is a young man’s game, and promise at a young age tends to hold more weight than moderate success in the series. Case in point with Ocon.

Still, only time will tell for Câmara, and whether he’s the next Ayrton Senna, or the next... Esteban Ocon.

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