Reigning FIA Formula 3 Champion Rafael Câmara joins Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli in becoming the latest graduate to make his FIA Formula 2 debut with Invicta Racing.
Before the new season got underway, we spoke to Rafael about his journey so far and his ambitions for 2026.
What are your thoughts going into 2026?
“It will be my first year in Formula 2, so I'm just trying to prepare in the best way I can to make sure that I'm ready and can enjoy it as much as possible. I’m sure it will be a very exciting year and I’m just looking forward to hitting the track in Melbourne for the first round.”
What do you want to achieve this year?
“I just want to finish the year with no regrets, knowing that I did the best job I could. Hopefully, that will be fighting for the championship, but right now I’m focusing on the present and all the things that I can do to make sure that, when we start the season, I’m in the best shape and ready to fight.”
Now that you've had time to think about it, how does it feel to have won the Formula 3 title?
“It's something that you don't really think about in the moment, but it was something very special. Winning F3 is a step in the right direction for Formula 1, and that is the dream, so I’m very happy and proud of myself. But now everything starts from zero again, so while it was good to be champion last year, now I need to focus on this year to make sure that I have the chance to fight for another title.”
In Abu Dhabi you drove the F2 car. What are the key differences between that and the F3 car?
“The F2 car is a bit lazier because it's heavier than F3. The turbo is a big difference and knowing how to make the carbon brakes work too. I think these are the main differences in terms of the car itself. I’ve never done pit stops before either, so that will be something that I will have to learn this year.”
You're visiting some new tracks this year. How are you planning to prepare and which are you most excited for?
“It will be very similar to last year, preparing with my engineer in the simulator, making sure that I know exactly what I need to do when I get on track, because we’re very limited with the number of laps we have. Of the new tracks, Jeddah is the one that I'm really looking forward to, and it’s at the beginning of the season too so that will be quite challenging. It’s not just the new tracks I’m excited for, though. I also really enjoy driving at Spa and Silverstone, so going there with the F2 car will be exciting.”
Who has influenced your racing?
“I started because of my brother. A friend of my dad had a son who was racing, and my dad really likes racing, but never had the chance to do it himself, so he got my brother to try. My brother didn't really like it, so he wanted to stop. I was still too young at that point, but I started a few months later when I turned six. It started as something just for fun, but then it became a bit more serious!”
If you weren’t a racing driver, what would you be doing?
“That's a good question. I don't really think about it much, but I really enjoy different sports, so probably that. I think it’s the competitive side of me - I don't like to lose! So, I would try some other sports and see how it goes. I really like tennis because it's something that’s very equal. It’s just about training, understanding yourself, and getting better that way.”
Before a race, what do you do aside from getting your kit on?
“I don’t really have a routine. I do my warm-up with my trainer, which is about fifteen minutes, and then after that it's basically just going to the car. Sometimes I speak a bit with my psychologist, Pedro, to share what I'm thinking, and we discuss what we can do to maximise things and make sure that I'm in the right mindset for whatever session it is.”
What do you think it’ll be like having a team-mate who is also South American?
“It will be something new, but we have been working well together so far, and I think both of us are in a good place. We're just trying to give the best feedback we can to the team to make sure we’re in a good position to start the season in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to sharing some good battles on track with him.”
