Motor racing-Haas boss says Toyota F1 tie-up to enhance Ferrari partnership

Komatsu

11/10/2024 10:15

By Alan Baldwin
       LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Haas's new Formula One
technical partnership with Toyota is aimed at enhancing
long-standing arrangements with Ferrari rather than replacing
them, team boss Ayao Komatsu said on Friday.
    The U.S.-owned team uses Ferrari engines and gearboxes, as
well as a wind tunnel and simulator at Maranello where Haas
maintain a design office.
    Ferrari's British reserve driver Oliver Bearman, who has
come through the Italian team's academy, will be racing for Haas
next season.
    "Our partnership with Toyota is not to replace the Ferrari
partnership," Komatsu told reporters in a video call after the
Toyota announcement at Japan's Fuji Speedway.
    "The Ferrari-Haas partnership is the foundation, and it's
always going to be the foundation.
    "This (Toyota) partnership is not to take away from it, but
to enhance that fundamental partnership with Ferrari. What we
have with Ferrari, what we get from Ferrari, is amazing."
    Komatsu, a Japanese engineer who replaced Guenther Steiner
as team principal in January, said Haas had been completely
transparent with Ferrari management from the early stages of
discussion.
    He said there was a clear understanding of the need to
protect intellectual property and Ferrari had been given 
assurances.
    Toyota will provide Haas with simulator access while young
Japanese drivers will get track time as part of a TPC (testing
of previous cars) programme.
    A Toyota-backed driver could ultimately get a reserve role,
although any decision would be based on talent rather than
funding.  
    "Ferrari sent certain requirements where I had to guarantee
them we continue with this and this and this. That's what we
were going to do anyway, so it was pretty straightforward really
and very collaborative from all sides," said Komatsu.
    Haas, currently seventh with the smallest budget but hoping
to move up in the midfield, will continue to use Ferrari's wind
tunnel while the powertrain deal runs to the end of 2028.
    The relationship with Italy-based chassis designer Dallara
will also continue.
    "We will keep the Maranello design office... our
aerodynamicists will continue to be based there," added Komatsu,
who said Toyota would provide Haas with more resource and
hardware.
    "We will start designing some other carbon composite parts
by ourselves and then also start doing some testing and
simulator work," he said.   
    "They (Toyota) are looking for the latest F1 know-how and
skill-set which we have but we don't have their facilities, we
don't have the number of people and resource. So that's how we
are tapping into each other's expertise."
    "So it's really a perfect combination to have a mutual
benefit." 

 (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
 ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))