Toyota has put ‘highly rated’ driver who’s older than Lando Norris in McLaren’s academy

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Rumours that Toyota will make its return to Formula 1 are rife and now it appears they have already made a move towards potentially achieving that.

The Japanese car-maker is believed to be in talks with Haas over a potential sponsorship deal that would see its logos on the side of their car, then later become a team partner with the American team having the ability to use its wind tunnel facilities in Cologne.

The alliance would be a much more lucrative deal for Toyota than if it was to come into F1 as a manufacturer after it pulled out in 2009, getting rid of the burden of being an engine manufacturer for F1’s tough power unit regulations.

Now it appears they have already been getting involved in F1 in some capacity by fielding a driver with McLaren who is currently older than Lando Norris according to Scott Mitchell-Malm on The Race F1 podcast.

Toyota field driver in McLaren Young Driver Programme

McLaren has a whole roster of talent signed up to its Driver Development Programme, including F1 Academy Star Bianca Bustamante.

Another is 30 year old Japenese driver Ryo Hirakawa, who is currently signed on McLaren’s Driver Development programme and as one of their reserve drivers for 2024.

Hirakawa has links to Toyota having raced for them in the World Endurance Championship in 2023, when he won the Hypercar class alongside ex-F1 drivers Brendon Hartley and Sebastien Buemi.

Mitchell-Malm believes Hirakawa is part of the McLaren programme at the behest of the Japanese carmaker.

“There’s some commercial and marketing opportunities for Toyota and there’s some driver opportunities. We know a different example of Toyota wanting to broaden its horizons and expand where it’s getting information from is making sure that Ryo Hirakawa is placed in the McLaren Young Driver Programme,” said Mitchell-Malm.

“That’s not a McLaren thing, that’s a Toyota thing. But that’s a driver there who is highly rated within the organisation that is getting F1 level coaching and assistance.”

Could Toyota return to F1?

Toyota was last in F1 in 2009 when it pulled out of the championship citing its losses and the sheer cost of its programme.

In the seven years that it competed in F1 it failed to win a race or championship, marking the project a failure. Since it left the grid, it has achieved success through competing in both the World Endurance Championship and World Rally Championship.

Now talk of Toyota making a comeback to F1 has intensified in the last couple of weeks considering their general manager for motorsport, Masaya Kaji, was spotted in the Haas garage at Silverstone.

Kaji is a personal friend of Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, while also being there to support Toyota-backed driver Ritomo Miyata in F1 feeder series Formula 2 for the weekend.