Toyota Gazoo Racing's announcement of a technical partnership with Haas has ignited speculation that the Japanese manufacturer could be laying the groundwork for a return to Formula 1.
However, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda is adamant that the collaboration is solely focused on developing young engineering talent and providing opportunities for aspiring drivers.
Toyota raced in F1 from 2002 to 2009 but left the sport – amid a global financial crisis – with little to show for its efforts, despite running one of the biggest budgets on the grid during its tenure.
The association between Haas and Gazoo Racing, Toyota's competition arm, could be built as a prelude to a full-scale return to Grand Prix racing for the automotive giant, especially given Formula 1's growing global presence and popularity.
But in Friday's press conference in Fuji, Toyoda clarified from the outset, in no uncertain terms, Toyota's intentions.
“Please make sure that tomorrow's headlines don't read: 'Toyota Finally Returns to F1,'” Toyoda told the media, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“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.”
The partnership, which will see Toyota's drivers, engineers, and mechanics contribute to Haas's test programs, aerodynamic development, and car design, is designed to support the company's broader goals in motorsport development.
For Toyoda, the focus is on creating opportunities for young talent within Toyota, particularly for its drivers that compete in the Super Formula, to gain Formula 1 experience.
"There's something I sense when talking to professional racing drivers," he explained. "It's that everyone wants to drive the world's fastest cars. I think that's the way drivers are.”
©Haas
Reflecting on his own role in Toyota's exit from F1, Toyoda candidly acknowledged his personal regret over the decision.
“That said, I'm the person who quit F1,” he added. “So I think that drivers were never able to frankly talk about it in front of me. It was like there was always this inhibiting atmosphere in our pit.
“In January this year, I said in front of everyone that I had finally gotten back to being an ordinary older guy who loves cars.
"I think that, somewhere deep in his heart, that ordinary older car-loving guy Akio Toyoda had always regretted having blocked - by pulling out of F1 - Japanese youths' path toward driving the world's fastest cars.”
Despite this sentiment, Toyoda firmly stood by his decision to withdraw Toyota from Formula 1 in 2009.
“That said, with the media watching my every step, I dare to add that I still believe my decision as the president of Toyota to withdraw from F1 was not wrong,” he concluded.
©Haas
Echoing Toyoda's stance, Toyota Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi also made it clear that the manufacturer's partnership with Haas should not be seen as Toyota re-entering Formula 1.
“Some might jump to the conclusion 'Toyota is back in F1', but that's not the case,” Takahashi stated, emphasizing again that his partnership with Haas is focused on enhancing Toyota's internal capabilities by improving the skills of its drivers, engineers, and mechanics.
This aligns with Toyota's philosophy of "driver-first car making."
“F1 is the pinnacle of motorsports,” he said. “The active roles of F1 drivers, engineers, and mechanics can provide children with dreams, aspirations, and goals.
“For Toyota Gazoo Racing, it is extremely important to demonstrate such hope to the children who will be responsible for the automotive industry of the future.”
Takahashi noted that his collaboration with Haas will allow Toyota to strengthen the human resources involved in both motorsports and the development of road vehicles.
“I believe that this will lead to the element of product,” he said. “In other words, to the development of human resources who can provide feedback for production vehicles.”
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