Haas reportedly took advantage of its recent private tests in Portimão to evaluate three potential candidates for a seat in 2027: Rafael Câmara, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Ryo Hirakawa. Is Esteban Ocon out?
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According to unofficial information, none of the three drivers managed to clearly stand out, leaving the American team facing a difficult choice.
Haas has still not officially announced its duo for next season. Oliver Bearman is expected to continue with the team as part of his association with Ferrari, while Esteban Ocon’s future appears much more uncertain.
Minimal gaps in Portimão
The Frenchman’s departure is not yet confirmed, but several elements suggest that Haas is actively exploring different options to replace him. The TPC tests (Testing of Previous Cars) held this week in Portimão are one of the most important clues.
The team ran Câmara, a member of the Ferrari pipeline, Fornaroli, a McLaren reserve, as well as its own reserve driver Hirakawa, backed by its partner Toyota. Haas reportedly organized at least two, and potentially three, performance comparisons between Bearman, Hirakawa, and Fornaroli.
The results were reportedly very close as the three drivers consistently stayed within about a tenth of a second of each other. Câmara then took the wheel on the last day. Since track conditions were significantly different from those encountered by the other drivers, a direct comparison of lap times would not have been relevant.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian left a very good impression on Haas, enough to remain fully in the running for the seat. The American team therefore finds itself without a clear favorite after these tests.
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Three very different profiles
Hirakawa represents the experience option. The Japanese driver has significant international competition experience, notably in the WEC where he has won World Endurance Championship titles. Toyota would also like to see him get an opportunity in Formula 1, which could be an additional factor in Haas’s considerations given the financial power of the Japanese manufacturer.
Fornaroli presents a very different profile. Considered a promising talent, he has been able to discover McLaren’s inner workings and gain technical experience that could interest Haas. His performances during the comparisons made in Portimão would also have confirmed his ability to quickly adapt to an F1 car.
Câmara benefits from Ferrari’s support, Haas’s privileged supplier for ten years, which considers him one of its most promising young drivers. His recent runs with the SF-25 at Mugello are precisely part of his preparation for the demands of Formula 1.
Last chance for Ocon?
His relative lack of experience driving F1 single-seaters could, however, work against him. Haas will also have to decide if it wants to field two drivers directly linked to Ferrari in the event Bearman keeps his seat.
For now, no decision seems to have been made. The Portimão tests did not produce an indisputable candidate, and Haas will now have to choose between three very different profiles before finalizing its duo for 2027.
Nothing says Ocon is out of the equation, but he will have to raise his level in the last ten Grands Prix to keep a chance of saving his seat. Haas now has a pool of alternatives whose every parameter will be taken into account, including the impact on the team’s budget in the future.
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