On Friday morning, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team announced it has entered a technical partnership with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, calling it a “new and dynamic collaborative relationship”. Team principal Ayao Komatsu says that using Toyota’s knowledge will be significant in their development path.
The Japanese manufacturer is from now on an ‘Official Technical Partner’ of Haas. Both companies signed a multi-year deal which will see both parties sharing knowledge, expertise, and most importantly resources.
According to Haas’s press release, Toyota will provide “design, technical and manufacturing services, while MoneyGram Haas F1 Team will offer technical expertise and commercial benefits in return”. The partnership sees the objective to advance the development of Haas, while Toyota receives the opportunity to further develop its own knowledge.
Starting from Haas’s home race at the United States Grand Prix, Toyota Gazoo Racing branding will be present on the cars from Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says: “I’m hugely excited that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing have come together to enter into this technical partnership. To have a world leader in the automotive sector support and work alongside our organization, while seeking to develop and accelerate their own technical and engineering expertise – it’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides. The ability to tap into the resources and knowledge base available at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, while benefiting from their technical and manufacturing processes, will be instrumental in our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1. In return we offer a platform for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to fully utilize and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities.“
He continues: “I’m naturally pleased that we’ve had the support of the likes of Formula 1 and our long-term partner, Scuderia Ferrari – who we announced our further continuation with earlier in the season, in the formation of this new technical partnership – designed to achieve continued success in our Formula 1 endeavors. Together with Gene Haas, I’d specifically like to thank Stefano Domenicali (CEO – Formula 1) and Fred Vasseur (Team Principal – Scuderia Ferrari) on that front, and with Toyota I’d like to thank Akio Toyoda (Chairman – Toyota Motor Corporation), Tomoya Takahashi (President – GAZOO Racing Company) and Masaya Kaji (Project Manager – GAZOO Racing Company). Everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is looking forward to the collaborative results of this new relationship, we can’t wait to get started and fulfil our combined ambitions.”
Tomoya Takahashi, President of GAZOO Racing Company, says: “We are pleased to announce that MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing have concluded a basic agreement to enter a technical partnership such as Haas vehicle development. We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Gene Haas, Mr. Ayao Komatsu, Mr. Stefano Domenicali (CEO – Formula 1), Mr. Fred Vasseur (Team Principal – Scuderia Ferrari), and all our existing partners of the team for their exceptional cooperation and understanding in this collaboration. By competing alongside MoneyGram Haas F1 Team at the pinnacle of motorsports, we aim to cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics while strengthening the capabilities of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, and we desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry.”
In over a week, Haas enters Round 19 of the 2024 season at the US Grand Prix around the Circuit of the Americas. Currently, the American team sits in seventh place overall, but they are only three points off RB.
