Sergio Sette Camara

## Career Overview

### **AlphaTauri (2020 - 2021)**

2019 F2 Champion Sergio Sette Camara made his F1 debut with the re branded Toro Rosso outfit. Sette Camara previously spent time with Toro Rosso and then McLaren, but was recalled to the Red Bull Driver Program following his F2 success. After dominating the field in F2 in 2019, many were eager to see if he could make a name for himself in F1, and do enough to earn a promotion to the main Red Bull team and drive alongside Max Verstappen.

Sergio put the whole F1 paddock on notice at the first attempt. Starting down the order, the low drag setup allowed the AlphaTauri driver to move up places in the race, even putting a move on Max Verstappen in a legitimate overtake for track position. The Brazilian maximized the opportunity when it started to rain to jump most the field by staying out until it was time for inters. By making one less stop than those around him at this point he found himself in 6th place. With no DRS for the train of cars behind, Sette Camara finished in that position, and as the lead of the Red Bull backed cars. Sette Camara would again finish in the top 12 at round 2 and would remain as the highest placed Red Bull backed driver in the Championship at this early stage. It would take five rounds for the Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen and Alex Albon to overtake Sette Camara in the Driver's standings.

Sette Camara took a career best to date start of 3rd for the British Grand Prix, but slipped down to 10th by race end, after playing the wingman role to Gasly, to help secure some much needed points for AlphaTauri. Sette Camara utilized the upgrades to great effect at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Brazilian went under the radar all race, but brought his AT01 home in 7th place, and also took the team's first fastest lap since 2008.

Gasly's and Sette Camara's best team result came at the Singapore Grand Prix. Both drivers started outside of the top 10, started on Mediums, and were able to do the race with one less stop than those in the top 10. Running in the top five for much of the race, the AlphaTauri drivers ran his own races to secure a crucial 15 points for the team. Gasly finishing in 5th, Sette Camara 6th.

#### **2021**

In the words of Red Bull's driver advisor Helmut Marko, Sergio sette Camara 'did more than enough to warrant a drive at Red Bull, but with no opening in their driver lineup, the Brazilian will spend another year in the development team'.

The opening race would be the teams best showing since 2016. Sette Camara and Gasly were very competitive on long and short runs. Good power from an improved Honda engine lead Sette Camara to finish on the podium for the first time in his career. A revitalized Pierre Gasly finished in 8th. A combined 17 points left AlphaTauri third in the Constructor's. The highest position the team had ever been under any guise. Round two brought with it a reality check, with Sette Camara finishing in 10th, behind Gasly in 8th. However, the Brazilian remained the lead Red Bull backed driver in the standings.

During the British Grand Prix, both Gasly and Sette Camara would make contact, which would result in the Brazilian retiring on the spot. Gasly would also suffer damage, but was able to continue. The incident also involved the Toyota of Nobuharu Matsushita behind. A Safety Car was called out so the AT02 could be safely removed. Gasly soldiered on, but could only manage an 11th place finish.

Despite the season being shortened, Sette Camara showed true pace to finish 10th overall, with a podium finish to his name.

### **Aston Martin (2022)**

Sergio Sette Camara moves from AlphaTauri and the Red Bull family to join the main Mercedes customer outfit. Unwilling to move to Red Bull and play second fiddle to Max Verstappen, Brazil's new hero will now look to build the team around him and help take the team out of backmarker status.

Sette Camara scored his first points at round 5, the Singapore Grand Prix, finishing in 9th.

Aston Martin showed a sign of improvement at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but on lap 20, Sette Camara suffered a full shutdown and lost his breaks in Sector 3, and couldn't avoid plowing into the barrier. This brought out the Safety Car.

Redemption would come for Sette Camara at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Brazilian took the team's best finish of the season to date in 5th, directly behind the Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

Aston Martin finally surpassed AlphaTauri at the Spanish Grand Prix. The event became the final Wildcard race following the cancellation of Monaco. Luck was on the team's side. Gasly retired on lap 2. Tsunoda finished behind the Aston Martin of Sette Camara. Stroll also scored well, and Aston Martin moved ahead of AlphaTauri into 9th by 4 points.

The United States Grand Prix weekend was a tale of two halves. A wet qualifying saw both Aston Martins reach Q3 for the first time this season to line up 6th and 8th, aided by both Red Bulls out in Q1. Both drivers were holding onto position inside the top 10 during the race, until Stroll crashed into the back of Sette Camara and brought out the Safety Car. Sette Camara valiantly defended 4th from Russell and Leclerc behind. The Brazilian survived contact from the Mercedes. On lap 25/28, the flood gates opened, as Leclerc ran deep into turn 1, and damaged Sette Camara's front wing. The 2019 F2 champion finished outside the points.

Sette Camara finished 10th at the Portuguese Grand Prix and elevated Aston Martin back into 9th two points clear of AlphaTauri.

Sette Camara proved he had what it took to lead a team, and secured himself in the firmly in the minds of the top teams.

### **Toyota (Present)**

After losing his drive at Aston Martin, the 2019 F2 Champion embarks on a new journey with the Japanese outfit.

The cold temperatures for the British Grand Prix qualifying played to the strengths of Toyota with Sette Camara 5th and Magnussen 9th. Leclerc held on to first, with Sette Camara rocketing up to second. Sette Camara was pushing for glory and climbed all over the back of Leclerc's Ferrari, before making a move stick on lap 7. The Brazilian's glory was short lived, as on lap 8 the tyre wear kicked in early once again and the TRD123 was a sitting duck for Leclerc, Norris and Tirowee. Sergio Sette Camara passed the Aston Martin of Stroll for 9th on lap 16, but it's far from where the previous race leader wanted to be.

It was an extremely wet start to qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix, but the sky was brightening up. Four big names were caught out in the transition from Wets to Inters at the end of Q1. The track was drying rapidly throughout Q2, but Inters was still the way to go. The track was just about dry enough at the end of Q3 for Softs, with last over the line having the best track conditions. Sette Camara lined up a season's best 5th, with Magnussen 11th. Changeable conditions returned for the race. All 20 drivers survived the opening lap without damage. The red flag was out on lap 5, as Carlos Sainz's day ended early, and Liam Lawson collected the Ferrari in the process. By the time the AlphaTauri and Ferrari had been cleared away, the sun was out and the track was dry. 17/18 remaining drivers were on Drys. Toyota made a catastrophic error and fitted the Brazilian's TRD123 with Inters. Sette Camara's excellent qualifying and opening laps had been wasted.

## Racing Record (Formula One Results Only)

Results in **bold** indicate Championships won.