Toyota and Haas entered a technical partnership in October 2024, which saw Toyota-Gazoo Racing stickers placed on Haas’ cars in the final few rounds of the season. In return, Haas, of course, got the technical knowledge of an established motorsport giant along with the resources to do things they had never done before.
For instance, Haas was able to conduct a test with their 2023 car earlier this month in Jerez, Spain, which although doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, was something they had always passed on before due to the costs associated with it. As reported by The Race, the team’s 2025 drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, along with Toyota Junior Ritoma Miyata were behind the wheel of the VF-23.
Haas has always faced significant budget constraints as an independently owned team. Its owner Gene Haas has tried to make ends meet with whatever amount of money he could put in, which more often than not, was not enough. Plus, the Kannapolis-based outfit has had some pretty bad luck with sponsors in the past.
Hitting the track for the first time this year
Our first-ever TPC test takes place this week in Jerez, Spain! Ollie, Esteban and Toyota GAZOO Racing driver Ritomo Miyata will be running the VF-23 #HaasF1 #F1 | @OllieBearman @OconEsteban @M_Ritmo pic.twitter.com/9vqu6UOV7e
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) January 13, 2025
Rich Energy, an energy drink company they had signed with in 2019, bizarrely terminated its deal in just a few months before they ceased to exist. Haas were then forced to part ways with Uralkali, a Russian company closely linked to the country’s oligarch class, following Russia’s internationally condemned invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
With Toyota in now, Haas will expect stability and also technical and financial support. It would also decrease their reliance on Ferrari—their power unit suppliers—for the usage of other facilities.
How Toyota will help Haas
As part of their agreement, Toyota will also provide Haas with a simulator, which in modern-day F1, is absolutely crucial for preparing strategy ahead of a Grand Prix. It will take around two years for them to set it up, which means until then, Haas have to keep doing what they did before — use Ferrari’s simulator in Maranello.
Most importantly, however, Haas will be hoping to make strides on the track in F1. For the entirety of its existence (since 2016), they have been branded as perennial backmarkers with occasional sniffs in the midfield.
With Toyota, a prominent name now attached, Haas hopes to improve their quality and efficiency. However, this process won’t be quick or easy, and it could take until the beginning of 2026—when new regulations are implemented—for the changes to take effect.
