F1 News
Haas leave door ajar for further partnership with Toyota: 'Reopen talks'
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu confirms there are no current plans for Toyota Gazoo to become a title sponsor of Haas F1 but did leave the door ajar. The Japanese boss explained that he would be open for talks in the future. The two parties announced a technical collaboration on Friday.
The Toyota name will return to Formula One with Toyota Gazoo Racing. They will join forces with the Haas F1 team. With a multi-year deal signed by the two parties, the collaboration will already start at the next Grand Prix this season in Austin, Texas. However, Toyota Gazoo will not become part of Haas' title name.
Will Toyota become a title partner of Haas F1?
"At the moment, no. Our title sponsor is MoneyGram," Komatsu said. "So nothing's going to change in terms of that title sponsor and the team name for the foreseeable future," he continued.
In 2022, Haas announced a title partner deal with MoneyGram. That deal started in the 2023 Formula 1 season and is believed to expire at the conclusion of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Haas boss doesn't rule out opening talks with Toyota to extend their partnership in the future.
"Of course we have a certain point in a certain year to reopen that kind of a talk with the sponsor so we will come across that bridge when that comes. But for the foreseeable future, there's no change in the title partnership again," he added.
What is the object of Haas' partnership with Toyota Gazoo?
"I want to clarify that Toyota/TGR’s interest is not a sponsorship. The main thing is to really develop personnel, which is great, which is my philosophy as well in the Haas F1 team. It is a high technology sport, but at the end of the day, it's the human being that makes it happen. [The difference between] disaster or making a successful team. So it's really we're thinking in the same way. So they are investing in this to provide opportunity for their people, whether it's mechanical engineers or drivers to provide that environment so that they can be trained, that they can develop and then as a company they will benefit," he concluded.
During the announcement, Haas also stressed that Ferrari was kept in the loop throughout the discussions. Komatsu and Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur held several talks from the beginning. The Italian team supplies parts to the Haas team, including the power unit and gearbox. The Toyota deal will not affect the Ferrari partnership either.