2024 Formula Regional European (FRECA) champion Rafael Câmara is set to make his FIA Formula 3 at the season opener in Melbourne. The highly successful Brazilian racing driver, Câmara, steps up to F3 with Trident for the 2025 season alongside Charlie Wurz, and FRECA rival Noah Strømsted.
F3 car felt “like a racing car”
At a recent media event attended by Pit Debrief, Câmara discussed the differences between the F3 car and the FRECA car after completing three days of F3 pre-season testing. While he noted a big difference between the two, he believes that he was able to adapt quickly and described the F3 car as being “much more fun to drive”.
“I think it was quite a big difference from Regional to F3. I think it was the biggest step that I had until now. But I think in the end I was able to adapt quite quickly. In terms of speed, it’s mainly in the corners. Did you feel that you can carry much more speed due to the dampers?”
“I think it’s much more fun to drive. You have more speed, more adrenaline, so it’s nice. But in the end, it felt like a racing car. It feels at home and everything went pretty smoothly.”
Dallara F3 2025 chassis and new engine package not an advantage
Câmara, however, does not believe that the new Dallara F3 2025 chassis and engine package introduced for the 2025 season will give him any significant advantage in his rookie season. While he acknowledged that the change to the new specifications would put all drivers on relatively equal footing, he believes that the differences are not significant enough to prevent them from adapting quickly. He stated that in the end, the work needed to prepare for the season had been “more or less the same.”
“So, I think in the industry, not very different. Because I think even without car, I think that you can still be able to learn quite quick and understand well the car. I think the post-season was quite okay.”
“Obviously, it’s new for everyone, but I think in the end, the work that you need to do is always more or less the same.”
A “very helpful” partnership with the Ferrari Driver Academy
Câmara’s partnership with the Ferrari Driver Academy has also aided his preparation for F3. The Brazilian driver has been a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2022, having joined alongside Haas F1 driver Oliver Bearman, after competing in the FDA World Scouting Finals.
However, despite his association with the legendary team, and its successful junior program, the Brazilian driver denied being under any additional pressure. Instead, he describes the partnership as “just helpful.”
“I don’t think there’s any more pressure to do that. I think it’s just helpful.”
When responding to a question from Pit Debrief, the Brazilian driver explained that the Ferrari Driver Academy had helped him to improve himself as a driver and his approach to competition. He deemed this as “very helpful” for his development as a driver and his preparation for F3.
“Since the end of 2021, we have been working together and I think it has been very good for me in the track and outside as well to improve myself.”
“Yeah, I mean prepare for the weekends, prepare for how can I improve on the track and also it’s very helpful as well outside of the track to prepare the best of myself for the race weekend.”
Câmara prefers not to compare himself Antonelli
In addition to Bearman, Câmara can draw inspiration from two other incoming F1 drivers as he works his way up to the pinnacle of Formula racing.
The first of these is his 2023 FRECA teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli. After winning the 2023 championship, Antonelli, then a member of the Mercedes Junior Team, earned a promotion to F2 for 2024. Despite finishing sixth in the 2024 F2 championship standings, he secured a seat with the Mercedes AMG-Petronas F1 team, replacing seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.
While Câmara view Antonelli as a “good driver” and is happy to have had to chance to drive with him, he prefers not to compare himself to the Mercedes driver. Instead, Câmara prefers to focus on himself as he prepares for his debut F3 season in 2025.
“It has been quite nice to drive with Kimi. We’ve been driving since karting. He’s a good driver and he deserves to be in F1. It’s difficult to know what he’s going to do. I think he has the potential to do well.”
“But in my opinion, there’s not much to say. I don’t really like to compare. I’ll just keep focusing on doing my best. And see where I can get it right.”
Câmara hoping to race against Bortoleto
The second driver, to whom Câmara can look up, is countryman Gabriel Bortoleto who will make his F1 debut with the Stake F1 Team in Melbourne. Despite sharing “a lot of moments” with Bortoleto during their karting careers, Câmara rarely competed against his countryman in single-seater categories due to Bortoleto usually being in another category.
“I [have known] Gabriel since we were, I think, seven, eight. So, I think we shared quite a lot of moments in karting. Single-seater was slightly different because we didn’t see each other as much, because he was always in a category ahead.”
While Câmara states that he and Bortoleto no longer speak often about racing, he hopes to one day share the track with him.
“So, we still have some contact, but we don’t speak much about racing. He’s more just a friend, but we never get in touch much about our racing life, let’s say.”
“But, yeah, it would be nice one day to be driving with him again and share some good moments on the track.”
