Team principal Ayao Komatsu says his choice to give Rafael Camara his F1 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix, rather than keep Ryo Hirakawa in the seat, was purely a matter of professionalism.
He isn’t implying Hirakawa lacks professionalism—not even compared with Esteban Ocon’s recent fallout—but that Camara served the team’s best interests.
Ocon was dismissed after a dispute at Haas following Friday practice in Mexico, with reserve driver Hirakawa stepping back into the car from FP3 after appearing in FP1 as a rookie.
The Japanese driver was 0.7 seconds slower than teammate Oliver Bearman on average, yet three post‑race penalties for rivals handed him a single point, and Komatsu praised his steady improvement.
Hirakawa will race at Monza this weekend in the WEC finale with the championship‑leading #8 Toyota squad, eyeing a third title, but he remained an option for Haas at Interlagos. Komatsu instead selected Camara, the 2027 recruit, after the Testing of Previous Cars event where the Brazilian clearly outpaced Hirakawa for next year’s seat.
“There are always pros and cons,” Komatsu noted. “It isn’t a foregone conclusion to put a signed driver in early. Every move carries risk.”
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team
“I haven’t known Rafa for years, but at Portimao during the shootout I saw how he handled pressure, created a focused environment and delivered an impressive lap time. His maturity stood out.”
“That gave me confidence that our message and goal were clear. If a driver couldn’t grasp a professional environment or got overwhelmed, I wouldn’t have made this call.”
“Speaking with Rafa on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday only reinforced my belief in his ability to tune out noise, stay simple and adapt to constantly changing track conditions.”
“The pressure was huge – an F1 seat was on the line – yet he didn’t chase results. He trusted his natural feel for the car and adjusted lap by lap as the track evolved.”
“He stayed calm, managed the mental strain and focused on what he could control. That mindset convinced me to choose him in the end. For my money, Camara shows the right mix of skill and composure.”
When asked about his recent decisions, Komatsu said, “At the end of the day, I’m the team principal, and every choice I make must serve the team’s best interest, not my personal agenda.”
Rafael Camara, Haas F1 Team
“That clarity guided every step, even the Brazil driver pick. Emotion aside, professionalism dictated the decision, and I keep returning to that principle when choices get tough.”
“It isn’t easy, but I’m at peace knowing each call – including informing Ryo by phone – was purely professional.”
Regarding the final three rounds – with F1 still hoping to hold Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the Iran conflict – Komatsu said nothing has been finalized.
Camara, the current F2 championship leader, is slated to compete in the series at the Middle Eastern events.
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– The Team