Haas F1 Team to Become TGR Haas F1 Team for 2026 as Toyota Expands Formula 1 Partnership

In a landmark development for both organisations, the Haas F1 Team will be officially renamed TGR Haas F1 Teamfor the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, following a major title partnership agreement with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR)—Toyota Motor Corporation’s global motorsport and R&D division.

The announcement marks a significant deepening of the relationship between Haas and Toyota, building on the multi-year technical partnership signed in October 2024. The expanded collaboration elevates Toyota’s presence in Formula 1, reinforcing its motorsport legacy while aligning both entities under shared objectives centred on People, Product, and Pipeline.

Toyota Strengthens its Return to the F1 Landscape

Toyota, with more than 60 years of motorsport heritage, remains a dominant force across global racing categories through TGR. Its championship-winning success in the FIA World Rally Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship highlights the brand’s engineering excellence and driver development culture—pillars now embedded into its partnership with Haas.

A Partnership Focused on Talent and Technology

A cornerstone of the collaboration has been the TPC (Testing of Previous Car) program, which ran 14 days of testing across the 2025 season with the Haas VF-23. This included sessions at iconic circuits such as Silverstone, Paul Ricard, Fuji Speedway, Imola, and Mugello.

From 2026, the program will officially be rebranded as the TGR Haas Driver Development Program, creating a clear pipeline for emerging driving talent. Japanese racers Ryō Hirakawa, Ritomo Miyata, Sho Tsuboi, and Kamui Kobayashi all took part in 2025 testing under the TGR banner, showcasing Toyota’s commitment to cultivating future Formula 1 drivers.

Additionally, the partnership has delivered key infrastructure advancements, including a state-of-the-art driver simulator currently being installed at Haas’s Banbury facility for the 2026 season.

Leadership Statements

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, said:
“It’s naturally a privilege to deepen our relationship with TGR through this new title partnership agreement. Our working relationship to date has been everything we hoped it would be… The cultivation of personnel has benefited us greatly, and that will only increase as our partnership matures.”

Akio Toyoda, Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation, shared an emotional reflection:
“Throughout our challenges in the 2025 season, I witnessed young TGR drivers and engineers begin to believe in their own potential… Toyota has finally begun to move – really move. By taking our partnership with Haas another step forward, our ‘People, Product, Pipeline’ mantra will accelerate in a way we have never seen before.”

Road to 2026: What’s Next

The newly named TGR Haas F1 Team will unveil its VF-26 livery online on January 23, before travelling to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for private testing from January 26–30. Under 2026 testing regulations, each Formula 1 team will be allowed three days of private running, followed by two official test sessions in February at the Bahrain International Circuit.

With Toyota expanding its footprint and Haas gaining a major technical and developmental boost, the new TGR Haas F1 Team enters the 2026 season with renewed ambition and momentum.