Friday in Formula 1 was dominated by the 2027 driver market, especially with Rafael Câmara once again linked to Haas. Ayao Komatsu stated that performance will be the main criterion for selecting the driver duo for the upcoming season, amid rumors that place the Brazilian as a possible replacement for Esteban Ocon.
Komatsu reinforced that ties with manufacturers or financial considerations only come into play if two drivers deliver similar results. The head of Haas said the team would not choose someone three tenths slower solely because of a connection to Toyota or Ferrari, or because they could offer more resources, and he indicated that a decision on the 2027 grid would not be made immediately.
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Gabriel Bortoleto also appeared in the headlines. Audi now has Freddie Slater eligible to act as a reserve for the main drivers Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg. The 18-year-old Briton, runner-up in Formula 3, reached the points needed to obtain a Super License, although he has not yet participated in tests with older cars nor in a full F1 weekend.
At Williams, James Vowles admitted that the major update package planned for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will not be enough to alter the team’s trajectory in 2026. The official conceded that mistakes made in early development will continue to weigh into the year’s end and stated that the remaining progress will be incremental steps before a bigger push toward 2027.
Lando Norris, for his part, raised concerns about the Sprint format debut in Monaco next year. With only the TL1 before the Sprint qualifying, the McLaren driver believes competitors will have to take more risks earlier on a track where the margin for error is minimal, although he acknowledges that the format could make the event more engaging for the audience.
