‘Eyes are going to be on us’ – Bearman declares he doesn’t see Camara’s debut ‘as a shoot-out’

Haas’ Ollie Bearman believes that going up against another Ferrari junior in Rafael Camara doesn’t constitute “a shoot-out”, with the latter set to make his F1 debut on home soil at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Camara had earned a full-time seat with the American squad for 2027, but with Haas’ confirmation that Esteban Ocon will not race for them again this year, the Brazilian’s introduction to the grid was brought forward.

Currently on course to win the F2 title, Camara is yet to drive a 2026 F1 challenger, having only run an old-spec Haas in a test that convinced Team Principal Ayao Komatsu of his raw speed a few months ago.

His first race weekend will therefore be a crucial one in terms of learning, which Bearman is hopeful will give him an idea of how their dynamic as team mates will play out in future seasons.

“I think this is a bit of a preview for next year,” he told the media in Brazil. “I don't see it as a shoot-out but of course it's good to have a team mate that's going to push you – that's what we want as drivers.

“We're competitive, we want to have somebody that's going to force us to level up and I think Rafa will do that, as Esteban did, as all of my team mates have done. I think the eyes are going to be on us but it's an exciting battle.

“For sure it will be a bit more pressure [on Camara] but I think the opportunity of having your first F1 race at home is pretty unique, not many people get that. Only the Australians get that.

“I don't know many people who got to do their first-ever F1 race at home. Of course the circumstances are challenging, but I think it's a great opportunity for him, and I'm really happy for him. To get an F1 debut is one of those key moments in life, so very nice.”

It’s not been the most successful triple header for Bearman, who has failed to finish the last two races and is acutely aware that Audi are now only four points behind Haas in the Teams’ Championship.

However, he also explained that his previous experiences at Interlagos – which included filling in as a last-minute substitute at Haas, similar to Camara’s situation – will help him pursue the best possible result for the team.

Bearman said: “Of course our goal as a team is to try and retain P7 in the Constructors'. Mexico was a challenging weekend for us, losing out on points the way we did, and for the rest of the season we just need to try and score as much as we can, as often as we can.

“This weekend is an opportunity, with the weather as well. It's definitely going to be a challenging one for everybody, especially with Rafa jumping in. But he'll be up to speed quickly I'm sure and let's see how the weather looks.

“Of course I had the opportunity to jump in two years ago where it was a very challenging event, a lot of rain on Sunday especially. But with that weather comes opportunities and I hope that we can make the most of them.

“It's funny how many coincidences there are, but it's nice to be the more experienced driver and I'm excited to see what changes to be honest.

“I feel like I was kind of working towards leading the team and I knew that was a very important role. I don't think much will suddenly change this weekend and the main goal is of course to score points – that doesn't change.”