Toyota returns to Formula 1. The Japanese car manufacturer announced on Friday that it was returning to the circuit through a partnership with the American team Haas. Toyota will bring its technological expertise to Haas and will be able to train its own engineers, mechanics and drivers in the F1 environment.
The Japanese manufacturer had itself been present in F1 with its own cars and engines between 2002 and 2009 before withdrawing without having won a Grand Prix. He currently competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Rally Championship (WRC) with his racing team Gazoo Racing.
Haas, for its part, has been present in F1 since 2016. It was created by the American Gene Haas who owns a major machine tool company in the United States.
Haas Toyota from the next Grand Prix
Its race director is the Japanese Ayao Komatsu. This year it is racing the German drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Danish Kevin Magnussen, who will be replaced next year by the Frenchman Esteban Ocon and the British Oliver Bearman. She is currently ranked 7th in the F1 World Championship. Its engines are supplied by Ferrari.
The Haas single-seaters will bear the Toyota name from the next Grand Prix held this month in Austin, Texas. “Having a world-class automotive company supporting and working with you while seeking to develop and accelerate its own development and technological expertise is a partnership that can only benefit both parties,” said Ayao Komatsu.
The president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, declared for his part that he had “always regretted, by leaving F1, having prevented young Japanese from one day becoming F1 drivers”, while stressing that he believed not to have been wrong in retiring from F1 in 2009.
