Rafael Camara has admitted that Ollie Bearman’s path to F1 as a Ferrari-backed driver is giving him added motivation to “keep working” and “keep improving” – as the Brazilian youngster looks to earn his own chance in the top echelon.
Bearman burst onto the F1 scene at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when he was pulled away from his F2 duties to replace the unwell Carlos Sainz at Ferrari – the Briton going on to score points and later earn a full-time opportunity with Haas for 2025.
Camara is forging his own path towards the F1 grid, building on a trophy-filled karting career to win races at F4 level, take titles in Formula Regional and F3, and sit third in this year’s F2 championship after nine rounds.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports F1, the 21-year-old reflected on the journey so far, his earliest memories of F1, and how he is hoping to replicate Bearman’s successful story as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
“As a kid, you don’t know how big it will be, or what will happen,” said Camara of starting out in motorsport. “I always liked to watch F1, and for sure that was something that as a kid you always dreamed for, to be there.
“I remember in that time I was supporting [Fernando] Alonso at Ferrari, and I remember also watching back in the day, the final race [of the 2012 season], there was Alonso and [Sebastian] Vettel fighting for the championship at Interlagos.”
As for representing Ferrari, and Bearman’s exploits, Camara added: “For sure, it’s exciting. Also to see Ollie, from the Academy, and he had the opportunity to go to F1.
“It gives me the motivation to keep working, to keep improving myself, and hopefully one day maybe I can get also another opportunity.”
If that opportunity materialises, Camara would (after Gabriel Bortoleto’s debut in 2025) become the latest Brazilian to reach the F1 grid – the country boasting Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi as World Champions.
“We saw what they did for our country, what they did in the sport,” said Camara of his predecessors. “I think this, for sure, is something that motivates us, and I think it makes us want to do well, representing also our country.”
For the time being, Camara is focused on maximising his performances in F2, having claimed two victories and five podiums up to now – holding 145 points to Alpine-backed Gabriel Mini’s 147 and Red Bull-backed Nikola Tsolov’s 167.
“Many good drivers are repeating [by staying in F2], and also a lot of good drivers are coming up, so there are a lot of fights,” he commented.
“It’s been a championship that is… In a way, you really need to take everything, because in the end I think every single point will matter – everyone has been so competitive.”
