Toyota ‘Returns’ To Formula 1 Via Haas F1 Team ‘Technical Partnership’

Japanese automaking powerhouse Toyota is set to 'return' into the world of Formula 1 (F1) racing after announcing a new 'technical partnership' with the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (Haas F1 Team).

Japanese global automaking giant Toyota is set to re-enter the world of Formula 1 (F1) racing, and it’s doing so through a ‘technical partnership’ with the Haas F1 Team. This was announced earlier this week on Oct 11 whilst the sport undergoes a three-week hiatus in between races.

Following the announcement, the MoneyGram Hass F1 Team racecars, piloted by Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, will receive an updated livery boasting the automaker’s current Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) motorsports banner, for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Naturally, this multi-year partnership, endorsed by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda himself, goes beyond branding. Under this arrangement, TGR will provide the Haas F1 Team with “design, technical and manufacturing services”. In return, Haas will reciprocate by providing the automaker with “technical expertise and commercial benefits”.

The technical partnership was endorsed by Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda himself (centre), and will see both the Toyota emblem and its Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) branding resurfacing in F1 racing.

Toyota Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi (left) and Haas F1 Team Principal Ayao Komatsu (right) detailing the partnership during a press conference.

Look past the PR fluff and, effectively, Toyota and its TGR arm is set to provide a sizeable and much-needed boost in resource to the Haas F1 Team – widely regarded as the smallest team on F1’s current grid. It also sees Toyota’s TGR arm regaining a high-level F1 programme again.

“By competing alongside Haas at the pinnacle of motorsports, we aim to cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics,” said Toyota Gazoo president Tomoya Takahashi. “It’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides,” adds Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team.

Toyota previously campaign in F1 from 2002 to 2009, but the effort ultimately yielded no success. That, plus economic factors at the time, prompted Toyota to cancel the programme.

Ironically, the remains of Toyota's previous F1 efforts transformed into the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) motorsports banner today. It saw much success in other disciplines, namely rally and endurance racing.

As a refresher, Toyota previously campaigned as a full-fledged constructor in modern F1 racing that lasted from 2002 to 2009. However, economic factors plus the fact that said effort yielded no success in the form of race wins or titles prompted the automaker to cancel it.

Ironically, the remains of Toyota’s previous F1 programme, which was headquartered in Cologne, Germany, was repurposed into other efforts that eventually led to the formation of the TGR arm mentioned today. It also saw success in other disciplines such as rally and endurance racing.

Toyota’s return aside, this partnership sees the first major change to the Haas F1 Team’s unique set-up as a constructor too. Since it entered F1 in 2016, the team has long relied of parts supply from both Ferrari and Dallara for its powertrain and chassis development respectively.

Both Toyota and Haas jointly shot down any notion that the former will develop powertrains in F1. Instead, the latter will continue as a Ferrari engine customer until 2028 as per a recently renewed agreement.

Critically, both Toyota and Haas stressed that under this agreement, Haas will remain as a Ferrari engine customer and that Toyota will not develop one. Haas adds that it will continue acquiring parts from the Italian team until 2028 as per its recently renewed agreement for which.

Instead, the Haas-Toyota partnership is widely tipped to see Haas gradually take over other development fronts in-house, namely aerodynamic development, simulation work, and perhaps enable parts manufacturing as well.

Instead of powetrains, the Haas-Toyota F1 partnership is set to see Toyota bolster development on other fronts for Haas, namely aerodynamics, simulation work, enable parts manufacturing and perhaps co-develop a new chassis.

In turn, this will see Haas gaining more cost and time efficient development through improved human, technical and manufacturing resources. It will also be optimised further over time with developments to the TGR wind tunnel tailored to Haas's needs.

Critically, this partnership is also poised to see Haas eventually produce and switch to its own chassis co-developed with TGR instead of sourcing it from Dallara. This, however, is expected to take a longer to realise.

Notable too is the fact that this agreement allows Toyota’s TGR training drivers, engineers and mechanics to participate in testing efforts with the Haas F1 Team. This is mutually beneficial as it grants Haas access to an alternative talent pool, and a pathway for TGR drivers and personnel.