Interestingly, Karun on Sky let slip yesterday that he spent some time with Ocon this week and apparently he was lambasting Alpine saying they never listened to driver feedback, no matter who drove- Ricciardo, Fernando, Pierre, himself. He could just be deflecting of course but Alpine have long been a basket case chopping and changing leadership and technical team, so perhaps Esteban isn’t as bad as it looks on the development feedback side. Haas certainly need him to be On that front Hulkenberg certainly seems to have helped Haas, so you can see why he is an asset to Audi.
please log in to view this image Kevin Magnussen has hit the fateful 12-point barrier on his FIA Super Licence, triggering a race ban. Oliver Bearman is back for another super-sub appearance as he replaces the banned Kevin Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Just heard that Toyota are back i Formula 1 , but only as a design and development service for Haas . This will replace Dallara who has been the Haas design team since they came into F1. If Toyota continue to work for Haas,maybe they will start developing a power unit for 2026. With Dallara now being replaced,this could be interesting for Andretti/Cadilac to give them a bit more justification to get into F1?
I would imagine Ferrari are aware of this and are ok with it ? Haas engine deal with Ferrari runs until 2028
Toyota to return to F1 in partnership with Haas please log in to view this image IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Toyota pulled out of Formula 1 at the end of the 2009 season Andrew Benson F1 Correspondent Published 1 hour ago Japanese car company Toyota is returning to Formula 1 after a 15-year absence in a partnership with the US-based Haas team. Toyota, which withdrew its own team from F1 at the end of 2009, has become Haas’ "technical partner". A statement from Haas and Toyota said the two companies would "share expertise and knowledge, as well as resources". Toyota would provide "design, technical and manufacturing services", it said, while Haas will give "technical expertise and commercial benefits". There will be Toyota branding on the Haas cars starting at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, from 18-20 October. Haas will continue to use Ferrari power-units, having earlier this year extended their contract with the Italian team until 2028. Tomoya Takahashi - president of Toyota’s racing arm, known as Gazoo - said the company aimed to "cultivate drivers, engineers, and mechanics" as part of the arrangement. Toyota has in recent years found itself missing out on aspiring Japanese racing drivers and engineers to rival Honda, a source with knowledge of the deal has told BBC Sport. The company believes having its own presence in F1 will help it counteract this. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: "To have a world leader in the automotive sector support and work alongside our organisation, while seeking to develop and accelerate their own technical and engineering expertise – it’s simply a partnership with obvious benefits on both sides. "The ability to tap into the resources and knowledge base available at Toyota Gazoo Racing, benefiting from their technical and manufacturing processes, will be instrumental in our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1. "In return we offer a platform for Toyota Gazoo Racing to fully utilise and subsequently advance their in-house engineering capabilities." Toyota's return to F1 marks a significant step for both the company and the sport as a whole. It withdrew from F1 after eight years running its own team from 2002-09. In a decade marked by extensive involvement in F1 by car manufacturers, Toyota developed a reputation as the one with the biggest disconnect between budget and success. The team, which was believed to be the best-funded in F1 at the time, failed to win a race. Related
Thanks Number 1 for more details. Toyota branding on the cars straight away,they certainly mean business. Good point about Ferrari,they must be ok with it as you say.
I don't think this deal replaces Dallera. It sounds more like tech support and somewhere Toyota can send their engineers for training and to learn about F1. Plus a possible route for Toyota to place young Japanese drivers. It's going to be difficult to manage all those companies working together - Haas, Ferrari, Dallera, and Toyota. Plus all the different sites and countries.
I’m amazed Toyota never fancied getting into the hybrid era given their head start in the road car world. Would be great to see them back as a PU manufacturer or even works team down the line.
yes I saw that . There is also a new female head of strategy . Ayala Komatsu said the following and I’m glad he did . Team principal Ayao Komatsu said diversity was increasing in F1, but added: "It's not like I chose Laura because she's female. We just don't care - nationality, gender, doesn't matter. "What matters is work, how you fit into the team, how you can maximise the performance - and Ronan and Laura I believe happen to be the best choice."
I agree,it doesn`t matter if they are male or female,what really is the most important is to be the best for doing the job in hand.
