Newly-crowned 2025 F3 champion, Rafael Camara is relieved to end a “very long journey” to the title.
Camara dominated the season from the off with five pole positions and five podium appearances, although four of his five podiums were on the top step – having taken four feature race victories, with his latest coming in Hungary to clinch the title with a round to spare.
Post-race, Camara reflected on his title win as he praised Trident for their work with him to secure the title and is relieved that they can relax a bit, although the teams’ title is still at stake going into the season finale as the Italian team hold a 19-point lead over Campos.
“All the hard work we did all season has paid off, so super happy. It’s a time where we can finally relax a bit because all season, regardless of if you are losing or if you’re winning you always keep working hard.
“You always focus on the things that you can improve, you never really enjoy the moment even if you’re winning or losing, you just try to keep the focus very high and never leave anything on the table.
“So, to finally relax is very good and also after you feel very tired because it has been a very long journey and now, I can enjoy a bit with the team and with everyone. They deserve so much. What they did for me was something amazing. All the hard work the team was doing before the season already from last year.”
This season though saw the introduction of the Dallara F3 2025 car which Camara believed “was a big question mark,” as to his initial expectations, but was relieved to adapt quickly to the machinery following a strong debut weekend in Melbourne, Australia.
“Obviously, the new car was a big question mark, and how we were going to start the season. After Australia it was a big relief for me and the team, we knew we were going the right way and now it’s time to enjoy a bit.”
The 20-year-old consequently was surprised at his start to the season having gone in to the first round with smaller expectations, but subsequently felt that he had to ensure his consistency remained throughout the season following the opening weekend.
“I think after all the preparation we did obviously you always want to win, you always go into a Championship thinking that you can win the Championship, thinking that you’re going to fight for what you can. But I was never expecting to start how we started in Australia.
“It was almost a perfect weekend, apart from the Sprint Race, but I think like I said after Australia I knew we were in a good place, and I just needed to keep myself always in a good spot with the team. With myself as well, I had to understand what I needed to do each weekend.
“Making sure I’m always consistent, as a rookie I think it was a very good year, and I will try to focus now for Monza and finish on a high.”
Camara faced a title challenge from four different drivers at various stages of the campaign – with the smallest gap being nine points after Australia, but the youngster refused to get complacent as he refused to “relax” and focused on his performance.
“I always try to keep it clean, do a good job, don’t get involved in any crashes and be consistent. Even with that, sometimes we were further than P2, sometimes we were very close.
“We had a bit of luck, for example Austria unfortunately Nikola Tsolov got a disqualification, otherwise it would be much tighter. In Spa we got a bit unlucky that we couldn’t race, as it was a race I could have scored many points. It’s how it goes.
“A Championship is always very tricky, everything can change very quickly, you just have to make sure you are always in the right mindset.”
Camara is the third consecutive Trident driver to win the F3 title after Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli in 2023 & 24 respectively, but the Brazilian put their successes down to their “preparation” in pre-season and subsequent work once the season began.
“The way we prepared for the season, how much work they put into this Championship, especially the engineers, they work almost every day. This makes us drivers more calm, more confident that we are in a good environment.
“The team is pretty much like a family, everyone has been together for I think more than 10 years, everyone knows each other. My group, my team, that is my mechanics and my engineer is the same that Gabi had. It was super nice to work with them.
“For sure I will miss them next year because it was such a great season, a great time I had with them.
“Since the post-season tests of last year, I already had a very good feeling with them. Even the test was already good, we were already fast. I was a bit scared for this year because everything can change, and I knew it was good before.
“I’m very thankful for everything they have done for me, my Team Manager Giacomo, my engineer Andrea, my mechanics, they were amazing this year, and I am very happy to be a part of this team.”
Last season saw Camara win FRECA and he now followed up that success with the F3 title despite noticing a limit in lap time in the latter series, as he addressed the difference between series.
“The only thing that is a bit different in Formula 3 compared to the other categories is that you are very limited in lap time.
“Sometimes you are not even fully on the limit in quali, especially in some races where we had a different compound from FP to quali where you don’t even know where the grip is.
“But understanding where the limit is and being fast straight away is a strong point on my side, as every time on the first runs we already had good pace and when you start already with good pace, it is much easier to set up what the car needs to improve.
“I also feel as the driver, it’s just more simple for what you need to do each run, and I think that’s why quali has been so strong.”
With F3 on its summer break ahead of the season finale, Camara has headed back to Brazil to celebrate with his loved ones ahead of the season finale at Monza, Italy, between 5-7 September.
The Brazilian however has already revealed that he will graduate into F2 next season with an unannounced team, so is already planning for the F2 post-season tests which is planned to be held in early December in Abu Dhabi following the final round.
“After Monza, for sure it will be Formula 2 next year. Then there will be a big break until the tests, I will just focus on myself to make sure that I am well prepared when I go to drive. Hopefully I can have another strong season.”
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