After 15 years, Toyota is returning to Formula 1 racing with the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. Via a technical partnership through TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR), the automaker’s competition and high-performance division, Toyota will be involved in racing car development and other collaborative efforts.
On Toyota’s part, the involvement in F1 is expected to create an environment in which young Japanese drivers, engineers, and mechanics can gain experience and grow. No doubt, this move has been guided by Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman, Akio Toyoda, a true ‘car guy’ and driving force behind the company’s competition activities at the highest levels (World Rally Championship and World Endurance Championship).
Speaking at the press conference announcing the partnership, Toyoda said: “I’m the person who quit F1 [for Toyota]. 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 revealed that, however, somewhere deep in his heart, the ‘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.
He then explained that he had not very long ago met Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, and talked about the desire to help young drivers chase their dreams.
“Mr. Komatsu himself is someone who has carved out big dreams. But behind him was his father, who always allowed him to freely chase those dreams. Both Mr. Komatsu and I have come to share the same desire to be a ‘father’ who allows his children to chase their dreams,” he said.
“The Super Formula drivers now – both the Toyota and the Honda drivers – all grew up as kids driving karts. I believe there are many children all over the country who, admiring them, also drive karts. I think that, together with Mr. Komatsu and his team, we need to increase the number of such children. But before that, I would like to see the day when a Super Formula driver grips the steering wheels of the world’s fastest cars,” said Mr. Toyoda.
Through the technical partnership, TGR intends to further strengthen its resources (including people) people and learn MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s pipeline, which is one of the team’s strengths in F1, to accelerate the creation of ever-better motorsports-bred cars.
Specifically, the agreement entails the participation in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team test drives by TGR training drivers, engineers, and mechanics. This will enable the drivers to gain driving experience in F1, and it will allow the engineers and mechanics to learn how to analyze vast amounts of data, such as driving data, to effectively operate a pipeline for such at TGR.
The agreement also entails the participation of TGR engineers and mechanics in the racing team to cultivate human resources. This will encompass having participants design and manufacture carbonfibre parts in simulated extreme operational environments, who can play active roles on the front lines of the pinnacle of motorsports and reflect the technology and knowledge acquired in production vehicles.
About the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
The MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is an American-licensed F1 racing team which entered the world championship in 2016. It has taken part in every season since then, participating in 184 races to date. The team has been using engines supplied by Ferrari all along, and will continue to do so as it is unlikely that Toyota will want to spend the enormous cost of developing an F1 engine.
The team’s drivers this year are Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, but they will be replaced by Oliver Bearman, a reserve driver, and Esteban Ocon for the 2025 season.
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