Source: KYODO /Molly Darlington
[Saba Sports News] Akio Toyoda, the man who once decided to pull Toyota out of F1, has recently brought the brand back into F1. Yesterday, Haas announced a technical partnership with Toyota, signing a multi-year cooperation agreement to share expertise and resources. In this regard, current Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda stated that the purpose of this collaboration is to enable Japanese Super Formula drivers to secure F1 seats with Haas in the future. In my view, many fans may misinterpret this partnership and instinctively associate Toyota with “Toyota’s return to F1,” but there is still a gap between the two. First, Toyota has no plans to become an engine supplier in the new regulatory cycle starting in 2026. Second, since Ferrari is currently Haas’s engine supplier, any collaboration with Toyota must be reviewed by Ferrari and cannot threaten existing partnerships. After their collaboration, Haas can use Toyota’s simulator and other resources and hardware in Cologne, but wind tunnel testing will still use Ferrari’s facilities, and the chassis will continue to use Dallara’s design. Conversely, Toyota will use Haas F1 cars to train drivers and transfer F1 technology to consumer vehicles.