Rafael Camara the Future of Ferrari

Five pole positions, four Feature Race victories, and a championship sealed with two races still to run, Rafael Camara’s 2025 FIA Formula 3 campaign has been nothing short of remarkable. The TRIDENT rookie became the latest F3 champion in Budapest last weekend, delivering a title-clinching performance that underlined his dominance.

Presented with his first chance to wrap up the championship, Camara delivered under pressure. He produced a last-gasp qualifying lap to claim a record-extending fifth pole of the season, then converted it into victory despite treacherous wet conditions.

5 minutes with…. Rafael Camara Interview

Taking Notice

Ferrari’s Deputy Team Principal and Head of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, Jerome d’Ambrosio, summed up the achievement:

“Honestly, I don’t think we could have hoped for better. This season started strong, he managed really well in the moments where things were more tense, and I think that the race that we saw today sums it up: fighting for a championship in the wet on a track that’s very slippery.

It could have been easy for him to make a mistake. You could see that he was driving on the limit. He was fast, but he was under control. He chose when to push, chose when to open the gap, and that shows that he was in control.”

Continued success

Camara joined Ferrari’s Driver Academy in 2022 and has never finished outside the top five in a single-seater season. Only once has the Brazilian missed a top-three championship finish, and his F3 crown follows his 2024 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine title.

D’Ambrosio says that Camara’s recent success reflects steady progress both on and off the track:

“When you’ve got a talent like Rafa, this might sound harsh, but it is what you’re expecting and is what you want to see. Our job is to support him in the best possible way so that he can deliver that and can express his talents to the maximum of its capacity.

He’s been with us for several years, and I think he’s made a really big step. I actually first got to know Rafa when I was with another academy and he was competing against us.

He was definitely one that we were wary of, because he was there always fighting for championships. I think he made a clear step in ‘24 winning the FRECA Championship, and then this year by winning in his rookie season in the Formula 3 Championship.

What has been impressive in that period of time that I’ve got to know him is the way he’s evolved, not only as a driver, but also outside of the track – he has tremendous maturity. I think the last 12 months have been incredible for him. He’s performed outstandingly.”

Impressing Ferrari

Camara’s development has been about more than just speed. According to D’Ambrosio, his ability to identify exactly what he needs to perform, and to stand by those decisions, has been key to his growth.

“He has a unique way of knowing what he wants and what he needs to perform, which I think is extremely important for a driver. It’s impressive. When you’re investing into young talents and you’re trying to support them in the best possible way.

We had some discussions over the winter, which were quite interesting where, I think as an academy, we were suggesting some things, and he said, ‘No, Jerome, this is what I need. This is what I want.’

And I remember saying, ‘Okay, then that’s what you’re going to get, and that’s how we’re going to support you.’ He knows what he wants or what he needs to perform, and that’s a sign of maturity. That’s a sign of strength.”

D’Ambrosio believes this self-assuredness is a positive sign for Camara’s long-term prospects, including the ultimate goal of reaching Formula 1:

“At the same time as trying to identify if they’ve got what it takes to make that step, and for Ferrari that is to one day drive a Ferrari Formula 1 car, having someone that is assertive in their choices and in knowing what he needs is, I would say, encouraging and reassuring that you’ve got someone that knows what he wants to perform in this sport.

I think in any area, you have to know what you want, and you have to go for it. You have to believe in yourself, and you need to be objective by yourself also. And so Rafa has got these qualities, but again, the road is still long.”

What’s Next for Rafael Camara?

While Rafael Camara’s career is still in its early stages, the signs are promising. With one round left in the 2025 Formula 3 season, the focus is on finishing strongly before turning attention to the next challenge.

D’Ambrosio confirmed that Camara’s immediate future is already being planned:

“He definitely deserves a break now before Monza, going back to Brazil, have a good time with his family, and then the challenge and the work for next season will begin. First of all, he has to close this season but then go on to prepare for the future.

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.”

If his rookie F3 season is any indication, Rafael Camara’s rise through the motorsport ranks is only just beginning and Ferrari will be watching closely as he takes the next step toward the top, with the prospect of a pairing the young Brazilian with Scuderia favourite Charles Leclerc.