Bortoleto and Câmara give Brazil two home drivers at Interlagos

Brazil has two drivers on the Formula 1 grid at Interlagos this weekend. Gabriel Bortoleto races his second home Grand Prix for Audi, eighth in Mexico City five days ago, while Ferrari junior Rafael Câmara makes his F1 debut for Haas at the São Paulo Grand Prix, on a circuit he has never driven outside a simulator.

Session times for the weekend (local, UK, CET and US Eastern): São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 start times.

Bortoleto comes home with four points from Mexico

Bortoleto, born in São Paulo on 14 October 2004, arrives with momentum. He finished eighth in Mexico City on 1 November, his team’s only points that day, and now sits 14th in the drivers’ standings with 14 points, one ahead of his Audi team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, according to formula1.com.

Audi has made the weekend about him. The team races a special livery designed by title partner Revolut, inspired by the Piso Paulista pavement of his home city, on the car, the race suits and the garage (Audi’s São Paulo livery).

“Racing in Brazil is always going to be very special for me,” Bortoleto said in Audi’s preview on 3 November. “Last year was my first experience of driving in front of my home crowd, and the support I received was incredible.”

Câmara has never driven Interlagos

Câmara, 21, was already signed by Haas for 2027. His debut came early after the team told Esteban Ocon he will not return to a race seat this season. He partners Ollie Bearman, and he arrives as the reigning Formula 3 champion and the leader of the Formula 2 standings in his rookie year. The full background: how Haas handed Câmara his F1 debut.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu pointed to Câmara’s test in the team’s 2025 car in August: “having excelled in his TPC outing in August, we know Rafa’s capabilities.”

The Brazilian has not raced at Interlagos and had not driven Haas’s 2026 car before this weekend. He prepared in Ferrari’s simulator. “I’ve never driven here, but with these simulator sessions, I think it should be alright,” he told formula1.com on Thursday. On the attention around a home debut he added: “I always try to just focus on my side, focus on things that I can control.”

Two different jobs on the same weekend

The two arrive with very different tasks. Bortoleto is in his second F1 season and is fighting for points in a midfield that is tight: Bearman, 13th on 23 points, is the next driver ahead of him in the standings. Câmara has to learn a new car, a new team and a new circuit in three practice sessions before qualifying on Saturday.

Câmara also has 62 FIA super licence points, 22 more than the 40 he needs, so his licence was never the question. Track time is. Profiles of both drivers: Gabriel Bortoleto and Rafael Câmara.

Our take

Bortoleto is the one under pressure. A home crowd, a livery built around his city and points last time out raise the bar: anything outside the top ten will feel like a missed chance. Câmara is in the opposite position. Nobody expects points from a driver who has never seen the track, so a clean weekend and a qualifying result close to Bearman would already be a strong start for his 2027 seat.

Practice at 12:30 local, the race on Sunday at 14:00

First practice starts on Friday at 12:30 local (15:30 UK, 16:30 CET, 10:30 ET). Qualifying is on Saturday at 15:00 local (18:00 UK, 19:00 CET, 13:00 ET) and the 71-lap race on Sunday at 14:00 local (17:00 UK, 18:00 CET, 12:00 ET). Every session result goes on one page: São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 results.

Sources: formula1.com (drivers’ standings, Mexico City GP result, interview with Câmara, 5 November), Audi Revolut F1 Team preview (3 November), Haas F1 Team statement.

Who finishes higher at Interlagos on Sunday, Bortoleto or Câmara? Tell us in the comments.