The Haas F1 Team has announced a technical partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing, the motorsport and research and development division of the Japanese automotive giant.
Under the new multi-year agreement – which will see Toyota become Haas’ ‘Official Technical Partner’ – both parties will share expertise and knowledge, as well as resources.
Toyota Gazoo Racing will provide design, technical and manufacturing services to the US outfit while Haas will offer technical expertise and commercial benefits in return.
With an objective to advance Haas’ development and competitive element within Formula 1, Toyota will further develop its own knowledge and skills in a variety of areas.
The Japanese manufacturer’s drivers, engineers, and mechanics will participate in Haas F1 tests, allowing them to gain firsthand experience with the complexities of modern grand prix cars in a real-world setting.
In addition, Toyota personnel will support Haas with aerodynamic development and contribute to the design and production of carbon fiber components for the race team.
As part of the agreement, starting from next week’s US Grand Prix in Austin, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s branding will be featured on the Haas F1 cars of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
Rumors of a technical tie-up between Haas and Toyota emerged last summer, over the British Grand Prix weekend, when Toyota Gazoo Racing executive Masaya Kaji was a prominent presence in the team’s garage.
“I’m hugely excited that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing have come together to enter into this technical partnership,” commented Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.
“To have a world leader in the automotive sector support and work alongside our organisation, while seeking to develop and accelerate their own technical and engineering expertise – it’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides.
“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.
“In return, we offer a platform for Toyota Gazoo Racing to fully utilise and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities.”
Komatsu made it clear that Haas’ collaboration with Toyota will have no impact on the team’s longstanding relationship with Ferrari which supplies power units and other drive train elements to Haas.
“I’m naturally pleased that we’ve had the support of the likes of Formula 1 and our long-term partner, Scuderia Ferrari – who we announced our further continuation with earlier in the season, in the formation of this new technical partnership – designed to achieve continued success in our Formula 1 endeavours,” said the Japanese engineer.
Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi is equally enthusiastic about the mutually beneficial partnership.
“By competing alongside MoneyGram Haas F1 Team at the pinnacle of motorsports, we aim to cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics while strengthening the capabilities of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing,” he said. “And we desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry.”
©Haas
Toyota enjoys a widespread presence in motorsport, with Gazoo Racing’s team competing in the World Rally Championship, the World Endurance Championship, and the World Rally-Raid Championship.
However, in Friday’s press conference in Fuji, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda made it a point of stating that the manufacturer’s association with Haas does not signal its return to F1 in which it competed between 2002 and 2009.
“Please make sure that tomorrow’s headlines don’t read: ‘Toyota Finally Returns to F1’,” he told the media.
“Rather, it would be great to see headlines and articles that inspire Japanese children to dream of the possibility that they, too, could one day drive the world’s fastest cars.”
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