Ferrari’s Jérôme d'Ambrosio on Rafael Câmara’s F3 title and how he’s evolved in 2025

6 August 2025

Rafael Câmara clinched the FIA Formula 3 title with a round to spare, becoming the third consecutive TRIDENT driver to win the biggest prize in the Championship.

His efforts have been impressive to witness, with four Feature Race wins, a record-breaking five Pole Positions on his CV, and the F3 title was his second in as many seasons after the 2024 FRECA triumph.

As a member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy (SFDA), Câmara is closely overseen by the Formula 1 team, including Deputy Team Principal and Head of the SFDA, Jérôme d'Ambrosio.

D’Ambrosio says that Câmara’s 2025 campaign has been exactly what Ferrari had hoped to see from their young charger, adding that his handling of the pressure moments was a stand-out factor for them.

“When you’ve got a talent like Rafa, it is what you’re expecting"

“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,” d'Ambrosio explained. “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 his capacity.

“That's what he did. 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 we saw on Sunday sums it up.”

D'Ambrosio says that the Brazilian's 2025 campaign has been hugely impressive on and off the track

In Budapest, Câmara had to battle his way to pole position after the original run plan came undone in the final moments as everyone fought for track position.

Despite the late change, the Brazilian adapted without any issues, delivering his fifth pole of the year and extending his record for most poles in a single F3 season on a crucial weekend for him.

D’Ambrosio says that it was a show of Câmara’s character, the Brazilian’s ability to remain calm in tough situations and pointed it out to be one of his biggest strengths.

“He's definitely more relaxed. He seemed more relaxed than all of us. And that's a trait of Rafa, that I think is one of his strengths.

“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.

"The focus will be to try to work to make him even stronger in all areas”

While Câmara was able to demonstrate his abilities across the 2025 F3 campaign both in terms of single-lap pace and wheel-to-wheel battling, d’Ambrosio says the focus remains on making improvements with the Brazilian wherever possible.

Though both the driver and the Ferrari Deputy Team Principal view his demeanour and ability to handle pressure a big positive, continuing to learn and develop remain crucial for his future going forward to fulfil his potential as much as possible.

Ferrari were hugely impressed by Camara's season and are already preparing what comes next for 2026

“I think he's evolved throughout the years. And I think what we've seen in the last few races is that he’s found some real strength in the fight for the title. In the Sprint Race, going wheel-to-wheel in Budapest is not easy.

“He managed to push when he needed and managed to grab some points in the reverse grid race, which is great in Formula 3 because in Budapest, it's not a given. So, he has got a lot of strengths, and the focus will be to try to work to make him even stronger in all areas.”

While the 2025 F3 title has been wrapped up, the work continues as preparations for 2026 begin in earnest.

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The title-clinching weekend just before the summer break means Câmara can head into the time away from racing in F3 with a big pressure lifted, and that time off is well-earned according to d’Ambrosio.

He adds that the Brazilian will continue working hard with a view to next year, and the next steps of his career he’ll take with Ferrari to help in his development on and off the track.

“It's a nice feeling before the shutdown, but I think more for him because Formula 3 - I mean, we remember last year the title was fought until last corner, it's nerve-wracking, not only for them, but for everyone that's working behind them.

"Formula 2 will be the next step. It's a challenging one, and so we'll have to prepare that as best we can”

“It's impressive. It's not happening often in Formula 3 (to win before the final round), the format is not made for that to happen, so for him to do that is very good.

“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.”