Meet the Ferrari prodigy who could replace Lewis Hamilton and just won title
The 40-year-old could soon be looking over his shoulder if his miserable form with the Scuderia continues.
Lewis Hamilton might have dubiously labelled himself “useless” during his struggles at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but his potential long-term successor at Ferrari currently looks anything but. Hamilton, 40, has found life difficult at the Scuderia, with his two-year deal due to expire at the end of 2026.
It remains unclear if he’ll remain in F1 when his contract expires. However, the Italian giants may not give him a choice if Rafael Camara continues to develop at such a rapid rate. The Brazilian driver has been in the Ferrari driver development programme since 2022, and this season, has made a real statement in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
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In his maiden season, Camara, 20, wrapped up the title with two races to spare. His campaign included five pole positions and four feature race wins, and the TRIDENT driver sealed glory with a dominant win in Hungary this month.
It’s not Camara’s first international crown either. The Pernambuco-born star, who began competitive karting at the age of six, won the Formula Regional European Championship with Alpine last year.
Significantly, his performances have earned praise from Ferrari’s deputy team principal and head of the Scuderia Ferrari driver academy, Jerome d'Ambrosio. The Belgian has not only lauded the young protege, but also strongly hinted he’s being primed for a future in F1.
“He knows what he wants or what he needs to perform, and that's a sign of maturity and a sign of strength,” he said. “At the same time as trying to identify if they've got what it takes to make that step, and for us, that is to one day drive a Ferrari Formula 1 car, having someone that is assertive in their choices and in knowing what they need is encouraging.”
However, Ferrari fans should not expect any kind of sensational swap between him and Hamilton anytime soon. D’Ambrosio also warned that “the road is long” before the youngster is competing with Charles Leclerc and co, and said his next car won’t be an F1 model.
“First of all, he has to close this season but then go on to prepare for the future,” he added. “For him, Formula 2 will be the next step. It's a challenging one, and so we'll have to prepare that as best we can.”