Toyota has been competing successfully in the World Rally Championship in recent years, running its factory team from Finland. Now, for the first time since 2009, the Japanese brand is returning to the Formula 1 circuit.
On Friday, Toyota and the F1 team Haas announced a multi-year technical partnership. Under the new agreement, both parties will share expertise and knowledge, as well as resources.
According to the press release, Toyota GAZOO Racing will provide design, technical and manufacturing services, while Haas F1 Team will offer technical expertise and commercial benefits in return. The partnership aims to enhance Haas’s competitiveness in Formula 1.
The agreement allows Toyota GAZOO Racing drivers, engineers, and mechanics to participate in Haas’s F1 Team tests. It also enables TGR engineers and mechanics to gain experience within the F1 team and contribute to the development of Haas’s F1 Team racing car aerodynamics.
“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,” said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.
“In return we offer a platform for Toyota GAZOO Racing to fully utilize and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities.”
The collaboration between Haas and Toyota begins immediately. Toyota’s logos will be featured on Haas cars next week at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Toyota withdrew from F1 in 2009 after competing in the series for eight years without major success. Since joining the WRC in 2017 under the leadership of team principal Tommi Mäkinen, Toyota has claimed the manufacturers’ championship four times: in 2018 and three consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023. The team is also vying for this season’s title against Hyundai.
In addition to rallying, Toyota competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), managed by TGR Europe, headquartered in Cologne, Germany.
