Haas has recruited Rafael Camara to its 2027 driver lineup. He will replace Esteban Ocon, who announced his planned departure from the team earlier this month. The 21-year-old Brazilian is the current leader of the Formula 2 championship. Since joining the Ferrari Driver Academy alongside Oliver Bearman in 2022, Camara has experienced rapid success through the junior formulae. After winning the Formula Regional European Championship in 2024, he moved to Formula 3 the following year, where he won the championship after a dominant season. He will reunite with Ferrari junior Bearman to complete Haas’ 2027 lineup.
Ferrari will promote Dino Beganovic to the role of reserve driver for 2027. He will share responsibilities with former F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi. Beganovic has been a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2020, but has failed to secure a seat at the top level of motorsport, although he has participated in four free practice outings with Ferrari in 2025 and 2026. As the Formula 2 season comes to a close, he currently sits P5 in the championship.
Laurent Mekies has extended his contract as Red Bull team principal until the end of 2031. Mekies began his time in Formula One in the Asiatech engine department, which sold power units to Arrows and Minardi. When the company closed in 2002, he gained a permanent position at Minardi, eventually becoming a race engineer. He continued to rise through the ranks when the team was rebranded as Toro Rosso. He left the team for a stint as the FIA Safety Director before joining Ferrari as Sporting Director in 2019, eventually becoming Racing Director. He joined RB as team principal for 2024, finally getting called upon to replace Christian Horner as Red Bull team principal and CEO last year.
The FIA is looking to ban a clever aerodynamic loophole used by Red Bull and Audi for 2027. Since the Austrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull car has had a thin support wire running down the lower end of the sidepod to support the floor. The same trick appeared on the Audi car at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The current regulations allow parts in that area, dubbed the “floor body stay”, to be no more than 20mm thick. To cut down on the loophole used by Red Bull and Audi, the FIA is reportedly planning to reduce the maximum thickness to 5mm for 2027, which will likely force both teams to make modifications to their floors. This regulatory change has not yet been confirmed by the FIA.
Formula One has officially signed a 10-year contract with Rwanda to host the African Grand Prix. The race will be held at a road course next to the Bugesera International Airport, although the circuit will need to be built. The circuit will be jointly designed by Hermann Tilke’s company Tilke Engineering & Architects, Alex Wurz’s company WurzDesign, and DAR. It will be roughly 6km in length, feature 17 corners, and will be run counter-clockwise. The first race could be held as early as 2030, depending on how quickly the circuit can be constructed. It will be the first F1 race in the continent since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
