Haas Draws 'Huge Confidence' from Toyota Partnership, Reaffirms Ferrari Foundation

Haas F1 Team is drawing "huge confidence" from its deepening collaboration with new title sponsor Toyota Gazoo Racing. Team principal Ayao Komatsu emphasizes this partnership complements, rather than replaces, their foundational technical alliance with Ferrari, which remains the bedrock of the team's existence. This dual-pronged support is fueling a new belief in Haas's ability to consistently develop its car through a season.

Why it matters:

For years, Haas has been constrained by its small size, often halting development early in the season. The proven ability to bring meaningful upgrades in 2023 and 2024 has instilled a new belief within the team. Toyota's resources and expertise, particularly in non-Ferrari-competitive areas, could provide the stability and growth needed to transform Haas from a backmarker to a consistent points-scoring threat.

The details:

• The collaboration with Toyota allows Haas to work on areas where regulations prohibit Ferrari from assisting, as they are also competitors.
• Komatsu highlighted the team's recent progress, specifically recovering from a "disaster" in Melbourne with a successful modification at Suzuka and subsequent performance upgrades at Silverstone and Austin.
• Transparency is key: Komatsu stated he has been "completely transparent" with Ferrari about the Toyota deal. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda reportedly made ensuring Ferrari's comfort a priority from the outset.
• Haas is currently building its own simulator, set to be operational by summer, further reducing its reliance on external partners and increasing its in-house capabilities.

What's next:

The newfound confidence in development is crucial as F1 approaches a massive rules overhaul in 2026. Komatsu believes the team's proven ability to "solve problems and stick together" will be vital regardless of how the new season starts. While Toyota may have some input on driver selection, Komatsu reaffirmed that performance will be the ultimate deciding factor for who occupies the team's cockpits.