Toyota has announced its return to Formula 1 through a technical partnership with the Haas F1 team. This partnership, effective immediately, signifies Toyota's re-entry into Formula 1 racing after a hiatus since 2009, during which they achieved noteworthy successes including thirteen podium finishes and a fourth-place standing in the Constructors' Championship.
The specifics of this multi-year collaboration focus on the exchange of technical expertise, resources, and knowledge. Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) will provide Haas with comprehensive design, technical, and manufacturing support. In return, Haas will offer technical insights and commercial opportunities, with both parties aiming to bolster their competitive edge in the sport and the automotive industry at large. Branding from Toyota will grace Haas's VF-24 cars, piloted by drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, commencing from the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Haas team principal Auao Komatsu commented on the new partnership:
“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 organization, 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.”
TGR will also assist in the construction of a cutting-edge simulator at Haas's Banbury, UK base. This development aims to alleviate Haas's reliance on Ferrari's simulator facilities located in Maranello.
Toyota Gazoo Racing's substantial facility in Cologne, Germany, serves as the epicenter for this collaboration, equipped with the resources necessary to support the joint venture with Haas. The facility is known for hosting Toyota's World Endurance Championship team and is equipped to accommodate the additional demands of the Formula 1 partnership, particularly in enhancing simulation technologies which are crucial for Haas's future projects.
Tomoya Takahashi, President of Gazoo Racing Company, commented:
“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. 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 the 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."
The relationship with Toyota does not replace Haas's existing partnership with Ferrari, which remains foundational to Haas's operations, including its use of Ferrari engines and components. The partnership with Toyota is designed to complement and enhance operational capabilities without altering these established ties.
