Ferrari 'sent certain requirements' ahead of Haas-Toyota partnership

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed Ferrari sent through a list of "certain requirements" that had to be guaranteed before it could agree to the team's new technical partnership with Toyota.

The Japanese manufacturer is making a return to F1 via its Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) arm and will provide "design, technical and manufacturing" services on a multi-year agreement to start with immediate effect.

TGR's project manager Masaya Kaji has confirmed in a media briefing, which included RacingNews365, that the collaboration is not a forerunner to Toyota returning to F1 either as a power unit supplier under the new regulations that commence in 2026 or as a manufacturer.

Instead, TGR will provide Haas with "more resource and hardware", such as immediate access to its simulator in Cologne. The hand-in-glove relationship will extend to Haas offering drivers in the TGR stable the use of its F1 cars under the TPC (testing of previous cars) programme.

Haas, though, had to assure its long-time technical partner Ferrari that TGR's involvement would not impinge on the trust that has been built between the two parties over the years.

Confirming that talks with TGR commenced at the start of the year, Komatsu added: "We've been working with Ferrari since day one, so we understand each other very well. And also, I've been talking with Fred [Vasseur, team principal] from the very early stages about this collaboration.

"The Ferrari-Haas relationship is the foundation, so I went in with a complete mindset that they need to really understand this one.

"If they felt that this Toyota-Haas alliance would be any threat to them, that's not going to work. So I made sure that is not the case. And through Kaji-San, Toyota was totally on board and clear from day one.

"Honestly, the key is being transparent and clear in terms of engagement, in terms of the perimeter from day one, so that all parties are informed.

"And then, of course, Ferrari sent certain requirements where I had to guarantee them this and this and this. That's what we were going to do anyway, so it was pretty straightforward and very collaborative from all sides."

Haas-Ferrari partnership 'is amazing'

Komatsu has confirmed Haas will continue to use the Ferrari wind tunnel in Maranello, and that the Scuderia will also produce the gearbox for "as long as the technical regulations permit". Haas will also maintain its chassis partnership with Dallara.

Komatsu is adamant that the TGR partnership "is not to replace Ferrari". He added; "The Ferrari-Haas partnership is the foundation, and it's always going to be the foundation.

"This 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. That's the foundation of the Haas F1 team.

"But the areas in which TGR can help us is outside of that. Again, we've been completely transparent with Ferrari management, of course, from the early stages of these discussions.

"So we both have a clear understanding of what engagement we have, and in which areas, with TGR, and how we need to protect the IPs of each company, so that's how we are planning to do it."