Haas F1 link up with Toyota in new partnership

Haas F1 team have announced a “new, dynamic relationship” with Japanese manufacturer Toyota, effective immediately.

The American team, owned by Gene Haas, have Japanese engineer Ayao Komatsu as their team principal. Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner at the start of the 2024 season.

Toyota joined F1 in 2002 and were present as a chassis constructor for eight years, before withdrawing in 2009 after the parent company’s first ever financial loss.

This new partnership, however, will see Toyota become the “official technical partner” of Haas, with both parties sharing expertise and knowledge, as well as resources.

Komatsu said: “I’m hugely excited that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing have come together to enter into this technical partnership.

“To have a world leader in the automotive sector support and work alongside our organisation, while seeking to develop and accelerate their own technical and engineering expertise – it’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides.

“The ability to tap into the resources and knowledge base available at Toyota Gazoo Racing, while benefiting from their technical and manufacturing processes, will be instrumental in our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1.

“In return, we offer a platform for Toyota Gazoo Racing to fully utilize and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities.”

Toyota branding will be on the Haas cars at the next race, the United States Grand Prix in Austin, next week.

Next year, British teenager Ollie Bearman will partner Esteban Ocon in a brand new driver pairing at Haas. Nico Hulkenberg moves to Sauber (Audi) with Kevin Magnussen set to lose his place on the 20-man grid.

Komatsu believes the link-up with Toyota is essential for the future success of the team and says founder Gene Haas took little convincing of the benefits.

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“It is a no-brainer, especially if you look at the regulations and the financial regulations and the current landscape of the sport,” Komatsu said at a press conference in Fuji on Friday morning.

“To start off with it was just an idea but the more we talked and the more we understood each other’s objectives, approach, strengths and weaknesses, honestly it is a perfect match.

“Under the budget-cap era you have got to be cost-efficient. All of this with our current model, there is a limit on how much we can improve. We have improved in this area and that area but unless we take some other aspects of engineering essentially in house, which normally requires huge investment and a big lead time, you cannot make a big step in terms of efficiency.

“With this partnership we can make that leap very quickly. It was not difficult to convince Gene. Gene is very, very engaged with the F1 team. He is always asking me ‘what do we need to do to be better, to be top six, top five consistently, to have a chance to get a podium at some point’?”

Masaya Kaji, project manager of Gazoo Racing, said Toyota has no plans to return to F1 as as power-unit supplier.