The freshly announced technical partnership between Toyota and Haas is a tentative return to Formula 1 from the Japanese brand, with no plans for a power unit project in the near future.
On Friday, Haas unveiled Toyota Gazoo Racing as an Official Technical Partner.
Haas will utilise the Japanese marque’s Cologne wind tunnel, aerodynamic expertise, design and manufacturing capabilities and more through this partnership.
Indeed, Toyota is providing Haas with a new simulator at its Banbury base, and will supply engineers and young drivers for a Testing of Previous Car Programme.
One thing Toyota won’t be providing to Haas however, is an F1 engine, with Ferrari locked in as PU supplier to the American outfit through the 2028 season.
“As you all know we signed with Ferrari until the end of 2028 in terms of technical partnership, PU supply, gearbox supply etc, so fundamentally nothing is going to change, as far as I’m concerned, this partnership has nothing to do with PU side, it’s purely on the chassis side in terms of technical alliance,” Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu told select media including Motorsport Week.
Masaya Kaji, General Manager, GR Powertrain Development Division, was also present to speak with the media after the announcement of Haas’ partnership with Toyota.
Kaji ruled out any notion of Toyota preparing an F1 power unit, saying “we have no plan to enter power unit supplying at this moment.”
Instead, Toyota’s desire is to inspire its young drivers and engineers to aspire to a career an F1 and create a talent pool for Haas to explore.
This is a drastically different approach to Toyota’s F1 enterprise in the early 2000s.
The Japanese marque ran its own team from 2002 through 2009, spending billions of dollars and winding up without a single Grand Prix victory.
It’s understandable then, that Kaji has also ruled out Toyota forging ahead with its own F1 team again in the near future.
“We have no plan to have a team in Formula 1,” he said. “At this moment we have the best option to collaborate with Haas.”
Toyota title partnership not in Haas’ plans
With remarks to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali in the Haas/Toyota announcement, Komatsu was asked to comment on the Italian’s involvement in the deal.
“Obviously Toyota coming into Formula 1 as a technical partner is a big news,” said Komatsu.
“I seek advice from Stefano, on many topics actually, but for something as big as this I wanted to speak with Stefano to get his advice and he’s been very, very supportive. So that’s why I wanted to specifically mention Stefano.”
The commercial interest regarding F1 and OEMs is a two-way street.
F1 has successfully sought out the likes of Audi to participate in the series and brands like Alfa Romeo have come and gone as title partners for teams.
This will not be the case with Toyota and Haas, as Komatsu explained.
“Our title sponsor is MoneyGram so nothing’s gonna change in terms of that title sponsor and our team name for the foreseeable future,” he said.
“Of course, there’s a certain point to reopen that kind of talk with a sponsor, so we will come across that bridge when that comes.
“I want to clarify again that Toyota’s interest is not a sponsorship, the main thing is to really develop personnel, which is great, which is my philosophy in the Haas F1 Team.”
READ MORE – Haas: Toyota will not ‘replace’ Ferrari F1 partnership
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