Racing
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Haas says its 2027 driver decision will be made on performance alone, with team principal Ayao Komatsu rejecting the idea that nationality, Ferrari influence or Toyota ties will decide who gets the seat alongside Oliver Bearman.
That focus has sharpened attention on Haas’ second car for 2027. Bearman is expected to stay for a third season under Ferrari’s control, but Esteban Ocon’s place looks less secure after struggling to match Bearman consistently through 2026 and pointing to car inconsistencies that he says have affected all but two rounds so far this season.
Komatsu made Haas’ position clear ahead of last week’s Belgian Grand Prix. “All we want is drivers who can produce maximum results for us. It's better to have that driver than any other consideration. Our pure consideration is that: who's the best driver for the team?”
That has not stopped the shortlist from being shaped by drivers with obvious outside links. Reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and Ferrari junior Rafael Camara have emerged as the leading candidates if Haas changes its lineup, with one report placing Fornaroli slightly ahead and another saying Haas has reached a basic agreement with the Italian for 2027. Camara, meanwhile, has been discussed either as a race-seat option or as a likely reserve driver for 2027.
The speculation has only grown because Haas sits between two major partners. Its Ferrari customer relationship naturally pulls attention toward Camara, while its Toyota technical partnership has led to suggestions that Japanese candidates could gain an advantage. Komatsu said that is not how he will approach it.
He said he had been “totally clear from day one” with Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda that Haas would not pick a driver for political reasons. “We're not going to put in somebody who's slower because he's Japanese or Italian or whatever, we don't care,” Komatsu said.
He went further, arguing that choosing a driver on nationality or backing would undermine everyone involved, including the driver. Komatsu said extra value such as budget or market interest only comes into play if performance is genuinely equal, not before.
That matters immediately because Toyota-backed Ryo Hirakawa is due to take Bearman’s car in first practice in Hungary this weekend, adding another visible test case for Haas’ public stance. Haas has also expanded its own evaluation tools, including a new in-house simulator and a testing program that has already given Fornaroli track time in an older car, with Camara expected to run later this summer.
Even so, Haas may not be in a rush to lock the lineup down. Bearman’s future is tied to Ferrari rather than Haas, leaving the team unable to control that seat completely, and the wider 2027 market is still waiting for larger pieces to move. Until that picture becomes clearer, Haas’ message is that the contest remains open, but only on merit.