Haas justifies picking Rafael Camara over Ryo Hirakawa for F1 Brazilian GP
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says his decision to hand Rafael Camara his Formula 1 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix, instead of keeping Ryo Hirakawa in the car, was “purely based on professionalism”.
Using this specific term, Komatsu doesn’t mean that Hirakawa lacks professionalism – not even in the context of Esteban Ocon’s fall from grace – but simply that he looked into “the best interest” of the team.
Ocon was axed after a falling-out at Haas following Friday practice at the Mexican GP, with reserve driver Hirakawa jumping back into the seat from Free Practice 3 onwards after taking part in FP1 as a rookie entrant.
The Japanese was seven tenths slower than team-mate Oliver Bearman on average in the grand prix, but three post-race penalties for rivals meant he scored one point, and Komatsu was impressed with his compatriot’s progress throughout the contest.
Hirakawa is racing in Monza this weekend for the WEC’s finale as part of the championship-leading #8 Toyota crew, meaning he can clinch a third world title, but he was still an option for Haas at Interlagos. Komatsu picked Camara, Haas’ 2027 recruit, instead – and the Testing of Previous Cars event where the Brazilian decisively outpaced Hirakawa for next year’s seat played a key role.
“There’s always pros and cons,” Komatsu said. “It’s not foregone, saying ‘We signed him next year, let’s put him as early as possible’. There’s always a risk.
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
“Of course I don’t know Rafa for many years, but what I saw in Portimao when we did the shootout, how he handled himself, how he contained all the pressure, how he created the environment that let him focus and perform, just everything around it, other than the pure lap time he did – which was impressive – everything around it, for me, was very impressive and such a mature approach.
“So that gave me obviously more confidence that, right, if we go in together, [the] message is clear, our objective is clear, we can manage. If he was somebody [that] doesn’t understand what the professional performing environment should be, if he was somebody that gets really overwhelmed by certain things or excited by certain things, I would maybe not have taken this decision.
“And then I spoke with Rafa on Sunday night, Monday, Tuesday, all the conversations just reinforced my belief [in] how Rafa can behave, deal with everything, and then shut the noise out, focus, simplify, and also not overcomplicate it. What I saw in Portimao, [track] condition was changing all the time, so it was very, very difficult.
“And then of course, it was huge pressure for him, right? That was an F1 drive hanging there. But he didn’t focus on that result, he didn’t focus that ‘I need to produce something to get [the] F1 drive’. He really focused on what he’s good at, which is the natural, amazing feel he’s got – listen to his feel, drive to the [track] condition. And the condition, honestly, lap by lap it was changing.
“But literally, he calmly – from outside – did that to manage that mental side, manage that pressure side, not to chase something that is out of your control. Just focus on what you can deliver. That was impressive. And if we can take the same mindset here, I believe we can. That’s why I chose that, I made that decision in the end.”
Asked about the decisions he has had to take in the past seven days, Komatsu explained: “At the end of the day, honestly, I’m the team principal of this team, and then every single decision I make is purely, ‘OK, what do I need to do for the best interest of this team, as a team principal of this team?’ Not even [as] Ayao Komatsu, it doesn’t matter.
Rafael Camara, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
“So, in that sense, it gives me clarity. I had clarity what I needed to do every single step. Even this decision for who to put in the car in Brazil, OK, emotionally I have more things, if you like, but I have to make a decision purely based on professionalism, right? Every time I go back to that when I have a difficult decision to make, so then I have clarity.
“Of course it’s not easy, but at least I’m comfortable within myself that every single decision – including this one, who to put in the car here, I explained it to Ryo on the phone by myself, of course – is a totally professional decision.”
As for the last three rounds of the season – with F1 still keen to make the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds happen despite the instability caused by the Iran war – Komatsu said nothing had been decided.
Camara, as F2’s current championship leader, is supposed to race in the series at the Middle Eastern events.
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