Toyota chief opens up on ‘inhibiting’ issue after F1 return with Haas tie-up

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Toyota has returned to Formula 1 after 15 years in a technical partnership with Haas, but Akio Toyoda vows it is not a full comeback from the world’s largest car company.

Not since 2009 when chairman Toyoda pulled the plug after Toyota lost billions in the global financial crisis has the brand’s name featured on a Grand Prix grid. But its branding will have its debut appearance on the Haas cars of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen in America.

Haas will have Toyota branding starting from the 2024 United States Grand Prix after signing a multi-year technical partnership. Their link-up sees Toyota provide Haas with technical and commercial expertise, knowledge and resources, yet Haas will continue with Ferrari engines.

Akio Toyoda hopes Toyota and Haas’ partnership helps Japanese drivers reach F1

Toyoda insisted in the official press conference announcing Toyota and Haas’ partnership on Friday in Fuji that their tie-up is not the Japanese brand ‘finally’ returning to Formula 1. The partnership is a technical link, which Toyoda hopes can even help Japanese drivers reach F1.

There have been a total of 26 Japanese drivers compete in Formula 1 since its inaugural race at the 1950 British Grand Prix. Visa Cash App RB currently run one with Yuki Tsunoda, but he became Japan’s first F1 driver for seven years with his debut at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Haas F1 Team from team principal to Ferrari and Toyota partnerships

Toyoda hopes Toyota and Haas’ partnership will help prove to Japanese drivers that it can help them to reach Formula 1 as it remains the dream of so many children. Their link-up will help to provide a pathway to the pinnacle of motorsport likely going through Super Formula.

He said. “Please make sure that tomorrow’s headlines don’t read, ‘Toyota Finally Returns to F1’. Rather, it would be great to see headlines and articles that inspire Japanese children to dream of the possibility that they, too, could one day drive the world’s fastest cars.

“There’s something I sense when talking to professional racing drivers. It’s that everyone wants to drive the world’s fastest cars. I think that’s the way drivers are.

“That said, I’m the person who quit F1. So, I think that drivers were never able to frankly talk about it in front of me. It was like there was always this inhibiting atmosphere in our pit.”

Why did Toyota leave Formula 1 and pull the plug on its factory team in 2009?

Toyota only penned its Formula 1 debut during the 2002 season when the world’s largest car company hit the pinnacle of motorsport at that year’s Australian Grand Prix as a works team and engine manufacturer. But Toyota’s time in F1 lasted until just 2009 and it lacked success.

Through the brand’s 140 Grand Prix entries, Toyota only saw its team claim 13 podiums, take the fastest lap of the race three times and earn pole position three times. Jarno Trulli set the fastest lap in qualifying for the 2005 United States GP and also the 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Ralf Schumacher also got Toyota pole position for the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix by posting the fastest qualifying lap on Honda’s turf at Suzuka. But the global financial crisis which later followed saw Toyoda end Toyota’s F1 team after the 2009 season due to substantial losses.

Toyota had revealed the company’s at-the-time worst set of figures for the last financial year to March 31, 2009 with losses of 436.9bn yen (£2.9bn at the time). Further losses during the year forced Toyoda to end Toyota’s F1 team – following Honda and BMW in pulling the plug.