Haas F1 ran its third Testing of Previous Cars session in six weeks Tuesday, putting Ryo Hirakawa, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Camara through evaluation laps as the American outfit's 2027 driver decision enters what team principal Ayao Komatsu called "final assessment phase." The three candidates logged roughly 180 combined kilometers at an undisclosed European circuit, the highest TPC volume Haas has committed to a single hiring cycle since the team ran four sessions before signing Nikita Mazepin in 2020.
The acceleration matters because Haas holds one of three remaining seats on the 2027 grid with commercial implications. Oliver Bearman is confirmed through 2026 with a team option for 2027 already verbally exercised, according to two people familiar with the contract. That leaves one cockpit. The other two open seats—Williams and Alpine—are both expected to announce before the Monaco Grand Prix in late May, creating a narrow window for Haas to secure its preferred candidate before the market locks. Ferrari, which supplies Haas engines and maintains a technical partnership worth an estimated $18 million annually in discounted powertrain fees, has made clear it wants one of the three TPC drivers placed at Haas if the team declines to promote from within.
Hirakawa, 31, is the Ferrari-backed candidate. He won the 2022 World Endurance Championship and drives Toyota's Hypercar program, but his F1 runway is short—age and limited single-seater experience since 2016 narrow his window. Fornaroli, 21, leads the Formula 2 standings with 68 points through four rounds and carries Prema Racing's operational endorsement, which historically predicts F1 success at a 63% rate over the past decade. Camara, 20, sits fifth in F2 with 42 points and holds a Red Bull junior contract that includes a release clause if an F1 seat materializes, according to a person who reviewed the terms. Red Bull's willingness to let him walk signals either diminished internal interest or confidence he won't be selected.
The economics tilt toward Fornaroli. Prema's title sponsor, Campari Group, has explored F1 activation opportunities worth $8-12 million annually if Fornaroli lands a race seat, per two sponsor-advisory sources. That would partially offset Haas's driver development costs and create a natural co-branding path with the team's existing Xylem and Moneygram partnerships, both of which seek younger, European consumer demographics. Hirakawa's WEC commitments complicate the 23-race F1 calendar unless Toyota releases him, which two paddock sources say is unlikely without compensation in the €3-5 million range. Camara's Red Bull clause includes a €2 million buyout Haas would owe if it signs him before June 30, a deadline that explains why the team is testing him now rather than later.
Komatsu has said publicly the team will "know by mid-season," which in paddock grammar means a decision is already made and announcement timing is being negotiated around sponsor unveils. MoneyGram's logo agreement runs through 2026 with a renewal option tied to "material team announcements," contract language that typically covers driver signings. If Haas announces before the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15, MoneyGram's renewal window opens 30 days earlier, per standard activation clauses. That timing also positions Haas ahead of Williams and Alpine, both of which are waiting for Carlos Sainz to decide whether he'll accept a Williams offer or hold for an Audi seat that may not materialize.
The TPC sessions cost Haas roughly $45,000 each in tire allocation, track rental, and personnel, according to a team operations source. Running three in six weeks is unusual but not irrational if it compresses the decision cycle and locks a candidate before market rates rise. F1 driver salaries for non-Max, non-Lewis seats have climbed 18% since 2023 as team revenues hit record levels, and rookie deals now start at $1.2 million base plus performance bonuses that can double the figure. Haas is profitable for the first time since 2019, reporting an estimated $6 million operational surplus last year, and has room to spend if the candidate delivers sponsor offset or long-term upside.
Fornaroli tested again Thursday at a separate circuit, per a logistics source who saw the transporter route. That's a tell. When teams run a candidate twice in one week, it's either due diligence or the final box before a deal sheets. Camara's next F2 race is in Monaco on May 24. Hirakawa's next WEC round is Le Mans in June, which overlaps with the Spanish Grand Prix. The calendar is clarifying who fits and who doesn't.
The takeaway
Haas ran **three** TPC sessions in six weeks testing Hirakawa, Fornaroli, and Camara—its most aggressive evaluation cycle since 2020.
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