In 2024, the Haas Formula 1 team found a significant technical partner in Toyota. The racing branch of the Japanese automotive giant supports the team in areas where engine supplier Ferrari – due to regulatory restrictions – is not allowed to assist. After several disappointing years, Haas made a comeback in the championship last year; a feat it hopes to repeat in 2025.
The partnership between Haas and Toyota was announced in October 2024, marking a subtle but strategic return of the world’s largest car manufacturer to Formula 1. Since then, Toyota has provided technical expertise and additional resources, enabling Haas – despite budget and personnel constraints – to make progress. As a result, the Americans finished in a strong seventh place in the 2024 championship. In the current season, Haas occupies the sixth spot.
A direct result of the collaboration with Toyota was the launch of a proprietary TPC program for Haas, funded with Japanese sponsorship money. This allowed drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman to get some early track time in older Formula 1 cars at the Jerez circuit in January – a first for the American racing team.
Collaboration with Ferrari
Despite the close ties with Toyota, Ferrari remains Haas’s engine supplier. Since its debut in 2016, the team has relied on the Italians for a reliable power source. However, such a collaboration also has its limits, as team boss Ayao Komatsu recently explained. This is where a technical partner like Toyota comes in. “This team does not exist without Ferrari,” Komatsu told The Japan Times. “Toyota helps us in those areas where Ferrari – according to the guidelines – is not allowed to support us.”
Of course, the partnership works both ways. For instance, Haas’s Formula 1 team also serves as a training ground for Toyota staff and drivers. Factory driver Ryo Hirakawa was named Haas’s reserve driver in the aftermath of the GP of Japan. During the season, he will take on at least four free training sessions. Masaya Kaji, director of Toyota’s racing division, underscores the good cooperation: “Haas is small, but the results are impressive. Their strengths and weaknesses perfectly match ours, laying the foundation for a strong partnership. This is just the beginning,” he emphasized. “Our engineers and drivers are highly motivated – they are now learning from the top class, which is essential for the future.”
Toyota’s Comeback?
Toyota was in Formula 1 with a factory team between 2002 and 2009. In the run-up to the 2010 season, it withdrew, partly due to the increasing losses the car manufacturer suffered during the economic recession. Despite a gigantic budget, the Japanese failed to win a race in eight seasons. The collaboration with Haas opens the door for an official return. The team is focused on sporting growth, while Toyota can chart a new course to the premier class – without the risks of a full-fledged factory team.
