Brazilian Rafael Câmara took a major step this week in his progression towards Formula 1: a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he drove an SF-25 in private testing in Budapest.
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At 21 years old and from Pernambuco, Câmara took the wheel of a F1 single-seater for the first time during tests held at the Hungaroring circuit this week.
For this first experience, Câmara drove the SF-25, the car developed by Ferrari for the 2025 season. These tests are part of the TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) program, authorized by the FIA to allow young drivers to gain experience behind the wheel of former Formula 1 cars.
A busy session
In favorable weather conditions in Budapest, the Brazilian completed laps on a track known to be physically demanding due to its winding nature. Behind the wheel of car number 38, Rafael Câmara followed the program defined by the engineers in Maranello, Ferrari particularly seeking to assess his adaptation to hybrid braking and acceleration systems.
Unlike official collective tests, these private sessions had no strict mileage limit, allowing the driver to accumulate a significant amount of data and experience. Câmara shared the track with Swede Dino Beganovic, also a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
This opportunity comes as Rafael Câmara continues an impressive rise in the junior categories. The Brazilian is currently competing in the Formula 2 championship with Invicta Racing, the team crowned champions in the last two seasons.
Notable rise in Formula 2
Since the start of the 2026 season, his performances have confirmed his potential: victory at the season opener in Melbourne, a podium then achieved in Miami, a regular presence in the top 3 of the championship illustrating his quick adaptation after moving from F3 to F2, and finally consistency in the title race.
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In 2025, Câmara had already made an impression by winning the Formula 3 championship even before the final round of the season. He notably set a new record for pole positions in the category and received the Rookie of the Year trophy awarded by the FIA.
The deputy team principal of Scuderia Ferrari, Jérôme D’Ambrosio, has been closely monitoring the young Brazilian’s progress for several seasons. According to various paddock sources, Ferrari is now considering offering him a first participation in a Free Practice 1 session during the 2026 season.
A major hope for Brazil
This prospect also meets the FIA’s regulatory obligations, which require teams to give young drivers track time during Grand Prix weekends.
The Hungaroring tests thus represented a decisive step before a possible official appearance alongside Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Engineers will carefully analyze the collected data as well as the Brazilian’s technical feedback to determine on which circuit he could make his Grand Prix debut.
Rafael Câmara’s path is already considered one of the most promising for a Brazilian driver in over a decade. His steady progress within the Ferrari Driver Academy strengthens his status as a credible candidate for a reserve driver role, or even a race seat in the medium term, although the position is initially intended for Oliver Bearman, another hope from the academy, with his two seasons at Haas, but the Brazilian could just as well succeed the young Briton within the American team…
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