It was a properly positive Thursday for Rafael Câmara on the streets of Baku, with the Invicta Racing driver locking down P5 and P3 across the qualifying double-header. The Ferrari Driver Academy talent has put himself in a prime position to hunt down the championship lead this weekend, managing to out-qualify his title rival and current championship leader Nikola Tsolov for both Feature Races.
Reflecting on the sessions, the Brazilian admitted he was satisfied with the outcome while insisting there was still pace left on the table. "Overall I think it was good quali," he said. "I'm happy with what we did today and I think there was a bit more that we could maximise today but overall, we are in a good position for the races."
Here in Baku, it's not the end of the world if we start a bit behind, so for sure we can have some good races and good points for the championship,
Yet that second qualifying segment brought a touch of frustration. Holding provisional pole, Câmara opted to pit before the chequered flag dropped, only to watch both Rodin Motorsport drivers improve their times and push him down to third in the order. Missing out on adding another pole to his 2026 record stung a bit, but the street circuit offers plenty of room to make amends. "Q2 was a bit more open to try different things and I think we didn't really maximise what we could have," he noted.
Still, the mindset inside the garage is strictly focused on the job at hand rather than celebrating early. "It was a better start to the weekend than Nikola, but still, it's a long weekend from here and there are a lot of things that can happen," Câmara explained. "We just need to keep working hard and make sure that we don't relax."
With overtaking genuinely possible around the Baku City Circuit, starting slightly behind pole isn't a disaster for the machines tackling this unforgiving venue. Câmara clearly relishes the challenge of the layout, praising its high-speed corners and narrow margins. "Here in Baku, it's not the end of the world if we start a bit behind, so for sure we can have some good races and good points for the championship," he said. Two races now stand between the Brazilian and the top of the standings.
