For eight lackluster seasons in Formula One, Japanese auto giant Toyota was getting its clock cleaned by almost everyone else on the grid. If rumors are to be believed, the manufacturer may be eyeing a comeback to the sport, using its Gazoo Racing arm in Germany to tie up with American team Haas. TGR Europe in Cologne, Germany is still a state-of-the-art motorsport facility with two in-house wind tunnels, and Haas wants to tap into some of that Gazoo juju in order to up its game. The partnership probably doesn’t mean Toyota will be fielding its own team, or even supplying engines in the short term, but could get them closer to the starting grid.
Haas has had a rough go of things since it began in F1 back in 2016. With nine seasons under their belt, the team seem to finally be on an uptick in 2024 following the firing of team boss Guenther Steiner. The team haven’t yet finished on the podium, finishing only as high as fourth at Austria in 2018. The team have an engine supply contract with Ferrari until at least 2028, so it likely isn’t looking to have Toyota build engines. The main benefit of a TGR Europe partnership is to gain the facilities and access to experienced personnel that it desperately needs.
Toyota’s best result, despite reportedly spending upwards of $500 million per season, was found in 2005 when it scored 88 world championship points, netting fourth in the constructor’s title fight. The team abruptly left F1 following the 2008 financial crisis, as it wasn’t a good look to be laying off workers while blowing half a billion on a corporate vanity project.
So what does Toyota get out of all of this? Toyota have been sniffing around at F1 again with an eye toward some future involvement. The Race reports that senior staff have been seen at multiple races this year, including the most recent round at Silverstone. The tie-in with Haas would be a way to dip a toe in the water, get itself reacquainted with the sport, and give it time to evaluate future possibilities.
For now, it’s probably more about money than anything else. Toyota gets to earn a bit of cash from the deal and Haas gets to instantly grow its team overnight. For the time being Toyota doesn’t seem to be interested in a buyout, and team owner Gene Haas doesn’t seem to be interested in selling.