[ad_1]
Earlier this morning (11/10), Toyota Gazoo Racing and Haas F1 announced the start of their technical partnership in Formula 1, which will restore the name of the Japanese giant to the crown of motorsport. But this does not, for now at least, constitute Toyota’s all-out factory return to F1.
The first reports of Toyota’s possible F1 involvement with Haas leaked four months ago in July (2024) – and have now been confirmed with the official announcement made at the company’s headquarters in Fuji today (11/10). in the early mornings.
Haas F1’s partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, the sports and racing branch of the Japanese company, foresees that Toyota GR will be the ‘Official Technical Partner’ of Haas F1.
This means that there will be an exchange of know-how and infrastructure between the two sides. Toyota GR will provide design, technology and manufacturing services for the car to Gene Haas’ team, while the latter will provide its expertise and promotion privileges to the Japanese.
More specifically, the drivers, engineers and mechanics belonging to the Toyota GR workforce will be trained through Haas F1 in the technological cutting edge of the most advanced car on the planet directly in the team’s garage at the GPs.
At the same time, Toyota GR employees will assist Haas in the areas of aerodynamic development and the design and manufacture of carbon fiber parts of the car.
The deal sees the Toyota GR name and badges appear on the two Haas F1 cars driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen – starting at the US GP of Texas next three days (18-20 /10).
Haas F1 is known to have a technical partnership with Ferrari, which provides the team with the complete power unit, gearbox and other mechanical parts. Also, the first uses the Scuderia’s wind tunnel in Maranello.
However, the director of the American team, Ayao Komatsu, clarified that the technical and technological cooperation of Haas with Toyota has the “facilities” of the Italian company.
Ralf Schumacher in the cockpit of his Toyota car at the European GP at the Nürburgring in 2007.
AP PHOTO/MICHAEL SOHN
After today’s formalization of the Toyota-Haas deal, the Japanese were keen to make it abundantly clear that this is not a first step in Toyota’s full return to Formula 1 – a decade and a half after 2009, when it locked out its factory team due to poor of GP results and the global economic recession.
Although the sport’s popularity has soared since 2009, and domestic rival Honda is champion of the sport with its engines on the back of Red Bull Racing cars, Toyota insists it has no plans to become fully involved with sport as a maker.
Toyota Chairman Emeritus Akio Toyoda said: “Please ensure that the news headlines tomorrow do not read ‘H Toyota finally turns to F1′. Instead, it would be great to see headlines and articles that inspire young Japanese people to dream of the possibility of one day driving the fastest cars in the world.”
In addition to the drivers, the partnership with Haas F1 also helps Toyota to train its young engineers, giving them the experience of Formula 1. And it gives them the motivation to develop and climb to the last step, the crown of motorsport.
“This January I said in front of everyone that I finally got back to being a normal car-loving old man. Somewhere deep down, this elderly car-loving Akio Toyoda has regretted that by leaving F1 he blocked the path of young Japanese people to the fastest cars in the world.
Nevertheless, with the media to watch my every move, I dare say that I still believe that my decision, as president of toyota, to withdraw from Formula 1 she wasn’t wrong”added the Japanese.
At the same time, the president of Toyota Gazzo Racing Tomoya Takahashi clarified that “some may conclude that ‘n Toyota turned to F1′, but nothing like that happens. An active role in F1 cdrivers, engineers and mechanics can give children dreams, ambitions and goals”.
The Toyota-Haas partnership is not expected to affect the Japanese’s other programs in international motorsport, namely the World Rally (WRC), Endurance (WEC) and Rally-Raid (W2RC) Championships.
[ad_2]