Toyota is “back” in F1. The Japanese marque is starting a partial technical cooperation with Haas since the US GP

The Japanese automaker Toyota, until now unflatteringly associated with one of the biggest stable fiascos of the modern F1 era, is fixing its appetite after 15 years! Starting with the United States VC at the Austin circuit, it will launch a technical partnership with the American Haas team. The youngest stable will accept Toyota into a group of several related suppliers, already led by Ferrari, which continues to supply power units. However, as part of the car’s further development, Toyota’s racing arm could at least complement Italian chassis maker Dallara to start with.

• Toyota to begin technical collaboration with Haas from US GP
• The carmaker will provide design and manufacturing expertise, while Haas will contribute mainly commercially
• The arrival of Toyota as a major player in motorsport marks a significant step forward for Haas

Toyota and its story in F1

For longer-term fans of Formula 1, the mention of the name Toyota is unlikely to evoke the most pleasant memories and connotations. The Japanese carmaker entered the queen of motorsport in 2002 with big ambitions and especially big resources.

However, it has only capitalised onthese in its eight-year tenure in F1 with a total of thirteen podium finishes without a win. The global economic crisis of 2008-2009 provided the final nail in the coffin. Due to financial and other losses, Toyota left the sport after the 2009 season. It went down in the history books as one of the most loss-making projects in Formula One ever.

However, after 15 years on the sidelines, Toyota has announced a move to erase the unflattering memories of the past. It has entered into a technical and human resource collaboration with the smallest stable in F1, the American Haas.

Benefits of cooperation for Toyota and Haas

For both Toyota and Haas, the official report says, this is a mutual exchange of knowledge and expertise. Toyota’s racing arm, Toyota Gazoo Racing , “will provide design, technical and manufacturing services,” with Toyota gaining the development of its own skills and knowledge to succeed in the F1 world. In return, the Haas team will provide “technical expertise and commercial benefits.”

In a press release, American stable boss Ajao Komacu confirmed the above objectives, expressing his gratitude to Haas and Toyota for the collaboration. He also noted that the use of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s valuable technical resources and manufacturing processes “will be essential to our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1.”

However, as well as thanking Toyota and its board, Komacu also made sure to mention his support for Formula 1 through its president Stefano Domenicali and his long-standing partnership with Ferrari, with whom he announced the continuation of that partnership this year. Komacu concluded his speech, “All of us at MoneyGram Haas F1 are looking forward to seeing the results of this new collaborative relationship. We can’t wait to get started and fulfil our shared ambitions.”

Toyota’s future with Haas and its partners

The arrival of the Japanese factory at Haas represents a key step in moving the stable towards better results in F1. Despite a strong relationship with Ferrari, which supplies the team’s power units, and Dallara, which handles chassis production, Haas is one of the weakest stables in the sport. The American stable, coupled with its increasingly inadequate results, is clearly not enough.

And this is where Toyota comes in with its vast resources, not only as a major global automaker, but also as a brand with a huge quantum of experience across motorsport. As a team owner and engine supplier, it currently shines not only in the World Rally Championship, but also in the WEC and NASCAR.

Toyota will thus shortly begin assisting Haas in areas with which the factory has relevant experience. In particular, according to The Race, this will include developments within aerodynamics, simulator activities and R&D of parts and components. Toyota’s technological strength could therefore also help in the gradual future replacement of Dallara as the designer of the chassis and other parts of the car with Toyota.

The formation of the agreement with Toyota can thus only be seen as a victory for Haas. Not only for the team itself, but also for its boss Komatsu, who clearly made one of the biggest successes in the team’s still short history less than a year after taking over the reins from Günther Steiner.

Source: F1, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, The Race