Source:REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
[Saba Sports News] Ayao Komatsu, team principal of Haas, recently discussed the team’s partner Toyota during a media interview. He stated, “Anyone who drives our car must be the best option without the team becoming a laughingstock due to “pay drivers.” This is not what Akio Toyoda wants, nor is it Haas’s principle.”
There have been previous reports indicating that Toyota hopes to have a Japanese driver among the Haas team drivers. However, the team insists that ability must come first. The background of this incident stems from the deepening relationship between the two parties: in 2024, Toyota will establish a technical partnership with Haas, which will upgrade to title sponsorship in 2026, and Toyota hopes to promote a Japanese driver to compete for a seat when Haas’s current drivers contracts expire in 2027.
From a competitive standpoint, the new F1 regulations in 2026 will further bind car performance to driver performance. A weaker driver could diminish research and development efficiency and the value of Toyota’s technical investments, and Haas needs to maintain flexibility in negotiations with top free agents.