MEXICO CITY — The newly appointed team principal of Haas has made it clear that the Formula 1 team is not for sale, even in the event that potential partner Toyota expresses interest in purchasing it.
Ayao Komatsu addressed this topic on Friday during the Mexico City Grand Prix, stating that team owner Gene Haas has no intentions of selling the organization. Speculation has arisen regarding Haas’s future in racing, particularly after the announcement that Stewart-Haas Racing, which he co-owns, is reducing its presence in NASCAR by scaling back from four Cup Series cars to just one by the end of the upcoming season in June.
“Gene is not selling the team,” Komatsu affirmed. “He frequently inquires about ways to improve and how to enhance the car’s performance. His focus is firmly on advancing the team rather than selling it.” He also mentioned that Haas has received numerous offers but has turned down each one.
Despite some interest from Michael Andretti to acquire Haas in a previous attempt to obtain an F1 team, Haas has consistently indicated that he plans to remain in the series—despite the team currently being one of the least competitive in Formula 1. As of now, Haas finds itself in seventh place out of ten in the constructors’ championship standings for this year.
Recently, Toyota announced its return to F1 after a 15-year absence, partnering with Haas as a technical collaborator. Haas featured Toyota branding on its vehicles for the first time during the recent United States Grand Prix held in Austin, Texas. As part of this partnership, Toyota’s racing division will provide various design, technical, and manufacturing services to the North Carolina-based team.
Nevertheless, this partnership does not signify a return of Toyota as a full works team, which previously participated in Formula 1 for eight seasons until 2009. Haas plans to continue racing under its own brand and will not be using Toyota for engines like in previous decades. Instead, the team has an existing agreement with Ferrari to utilize their engines through 2028, a partnership originally established during Haas’s debut in F1 in 2016. Haas also renewed its Ferrari contract in July to align with the new F1 regulations set to take effect in 2026.
The collaboration with Toyota continues Haas’s strategy of depending on external partners for essential functions that many other Formula 1 teams typically conduct in-house. Since entering the sport in 2016, the American team has formed a close alliance with Ferrari, even establishing its design operations in Maranello, Italy, and relies on Italian company Dallara for the manufacturing of its cars.
“Ferrari and Dallara have been incredible collaborators since day one. As you can see, Ferrari supports us in many vital areas, whereas Toyota will be assisting with components where we lack support from Ferrari,” Komatsu explained. “This new partnership with Toyota enhances our capabilities and provides us with deeper insights into our vehicle, ultimately helping us to boost our competitiveness in the racing world.”