Ayao Komatsu reacts to Haas -Toyota partnership: “No one wants to replace Ferrari”. Ayao Komatsu reacts to the recent partnership with Toyota .

This morning, Haas officially announced that it will begin a new multi-year partnership with Toyota with immediate effect. As reported by racingnews365, TGR project manager Masaya Kaji confirmed during a media briefing that the collaboration does not anticipate Toyota’s return to F1, either as a power unit supplier under the new regulations starting in 2026 or as a constructor. Instead, TGR will provide Haas with “additional resources and hardware,” including immediate access to its simulator in Cologne. The partnership will also extend to Haas offering TGR drivers the use of its F1 cars under the TPC program (testing of previous cars).

Haas, however, not only had to reassure its long-time technical partner Ferrari that TGR’s involvement would not affect the trust built between the two parties over the years, but it also confirmed that it would continue to use Ferrari’s wind tunnel in Maranello. Speaking on the matter, team principal Ayao Komatsu said: “We’ve been working with Ferrari from day one, so we understand each other very well. Furthermore, I spoke with Fred from the early stages of this collaboration. The Ferrari-Haas relationship is the foundation, so I approached this with the mindset of fully understanding that relationship.”

“I made sure that they didn’t think the Toyota-Haas alliance could pose a threat, and thanks to Kaji-San, Toyota was fully on board and clear from the very beginning. Honestly, the key is to be transparent and clear about commitments and roles from day one so that all parties are informed. Ferrari sent some requirements to ensure that we would guarantee them this and that. It’s what we would have done anyway, so it was quite simple and very collaborative on everyone’s part.”

The Japanese manager added: “This partnership is not meant to replace Ferrari, but rather to strengthen the fundamental relationship with the Prancing Horse. What we receive from Ferrari is extraordinary. That’s the foundation of the Haas F1 team. The areas where TGR can help us are different. Again, we’ve been completely transparent with Ferrari’s management, of course, from the early stages of these discussions.”