Haas and Toyota Gazoo Racing revealed on Friday that the latter has joined forces with America’s Formula 1 team as ‘Official Technical Partner.’
This marks Toyota’s return to F1, after its works team entry ran from 2002 to 2009, ending amid the global financial crisis having failed to yield a single race victory.
Haas entered the sport in 2016 and has formed a close partnership with Ferrari, receiving as many parts from the Italian marque as the F1 regulations allow.
The multi-year agreement with Toyota Gazoo Racing, which has excelled with multiple championships in the WRC and FIA WEC, will see the Japanese marque share expertise, knowledge and resources with Haas.
Moreover, Toyota will provide Haas with design, technical and manufacturing services and the American F1 team will respond in kind by offering technical and commercial benefits.
Haas ‘hugely excited’ to partner with Toyota
“I’m hugely excited that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing have come together to enter into this technical partnership,” said Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu.
“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.
“I’m naturally pleased that we’ve had the support of the likes of Formula 1 and our long-term partner, Scuderia Ferrari – who we announced our further continuation with earlier in the season, in the formation of this new technical partnership – designed to achieve continued success in our Formula 1 endeavors.
“Together with Gene Haas, I’d specifically like to thank Stefano Domenicali (CEO – Formula 1) and Fred Vasseur (Team Principal – Scuderia Ferrari) on that front, and with Toyota I’d like to thank Akio Toyoda (Chairman – Toyota Motor Corporation), Tomoya Takahashi (President – GAZOO Racing Company) and Masaya Kaji (Project Manager – GAZOO Racing Company).
“Everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is looking forward to the collaborative results of this new relationship, we can’t wait to get started and fulfil our combined ambitions.”
Toyota will ‘strengthen’ Haas upon return to F1
“We are pleased to announce that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing have concluded a basic agreement to enter a technical partnership such as Haas vehicle development,” said Tomoya Takahashi, President of GAZOO Racing Company.
“We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Gene Haas, Mr. Ayao Komatsu, Mr. Stefano Domenicali (CEO – Formula 1), Mr. Fred Vasseur (Team Principal – Scuderia Ferrari), and all our existing partners of the team for their exceptional cooperation and understanding in this collaboration.
“By competing alongside MoneyGram Haas F1 Team at the pinnacle of motorsports, we aim to cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics while strengthening the capabilities of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, and we desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry.”
Haas and Toyota’s partnership will begin in earnest, with the Gazoo Racing branding featuring on Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen’s F1 cars during next week’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
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