Haas dismisses Ocon and fields Camara for São Paulo

Komatsu justifies the personnel change

With Ocon's departure and Camara's appointment, Haas is restructuring its lineup ahead of the São Paulo home race. Formula 1 had previously commented on the change: “With Ocon's dismissal, Brazilian Rafael Camara will make his F1 debut in a Grand Prix at his home race in Sao Paolo.”

For Camara, the assignment is an opportunity to prove himself in a Grand Prix for the first time in front of a home crowd. The 19-year-old has been Haas's reserve driver since 2025 and has already completed laps in Formula 1 in that role.

The São Paulo race also comes after the incident in Mexico City referenced by Komatsu. Haas said it had launched an internal investigation into Ocon's contact with Kevin Magnussen during a safety car period in the Mexico City race, as well as his subsequent criticism of Ocon's podium behavior in Mexico City.

A debut in front of a home crowd

Ocon himself described the team's decision as disappointing. In an official statement, he thanked Haas for its support over the past years and said he would resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

With Camara replacing Ocon, Haas will start its home Grand Prix in São Paulo. The race is the next major fixture on the Formula 1 calendar and marks the Brazilian's first Grand Prix appearance in the cockpit of the American team.

The separation comes at a time when Haas is reorganizing its driver lineup. Komatsu justified the move by ensuring the team's best long-term interests. He did not provide any further reason for the specific personnel decision.

Preview of São Paulo

No further personnel decisions are known for the remainder of the season. With the change in São Paulo, Camara initially takes over the seat vacated by Ocon, whose contract with the team is thereby terminated ahead of schedule.