In 2026, Toyota plans to take the next step in its partnership with Haas. The Japanese car manufacturer will become the title sponsor of the American Formula 1 team, but for Toyota, the partnership doesn’t stop there. The Japanese automotive giant also wants to have more influence on the choice of drivers. However, there is an important condition attached to this, according to team boss Ayao Komatsu: ‘We always choose drivers who deliver performance.’
In early December, news emerged that Toyota will deepen its partnership with Haas from 2026. The Japanese car manufacturer will become the title sponsor of the American team from next season. However, this is not the only intended next step for the Japanese. Toyota also hopes to have more influence on Haas’s future driver choices. Currently, Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman are still driving for the American racing team.
Team boss Ayao Komatsu confirms that Toyota’s input in the choice of future line-up is certainly possible. “Their goal – one of many goals they have – is, as we already said regarding the development of people, among other things, of drivers.” However, Haas will not just give any driver designated by Toyota a seat.
Prestige
“The most important thing is that performance comes first,” the Japanese continues. “Anyone who gets into our race car must be the best choice in terms of performance. We all agree on that, even Akio-san (Akio Toyoda, chairman of Toyota). Even if he would want a Japanese driver from his training program, for example, it would be an expensive joke if we used that driver while he is not good enough. Then people will say: ‘Oh, Toyota is just buying a seat with money.’ That’s not what Akio-san does. That’s not what we do. We always choose drivers who deliver performance.”
