Extent of Toyota influence on future Haas F1 line-ups revealed

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu explained that Toyota will want a say in Haas’ driver line-ups in future, but insisted the main indicator for any candidate is performance.

Both Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon are contracted with the team through the 2026 season, but with the driver market predicted to be an open one, there could be opportunities for others to stake a claim to make it onto the grid or switch teams.

Haas: ‘One of many goals’ for Toyota is developing drivers

Toyota Gazoo Racing is stepping up its involvement with Haas in 2026 by becoming title sponsors, with team principal Komatsu having explained previously that the relationship between the two is a continuation of what has come before.

Haas has been able to undertake TPC [testing of a previous car] running for the first time in its history, with Toyota factory driver Ryo Hirakawa having been behind the wheel on several occasions in 2025.

Next season, Komatsu confirmed a driver development programme would be “a bit more structured” in how it takes shape, with Toyota’s involvement helping to bring a “gradual step-by-step improvement” to Haas.

He explained that a part of Toyota’s title partnership will be looking to help develop its people in a racing environment, with crossover between Haas and the Japanese manufacturer, with its Gazoo Racing division having been a dominant force in endurance racing in recent years.

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Asked if he had been asked by Toyota about potentially having one of its drivers in a race seat in the future, Komatsu told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media: “Yeah, of course. You know, their goal – one of many goals they have, is to, like we said with developing people, one of them is drivers.

“But [the] main thing is, performance is fast. You know, anybody who gets in our race car has to be the best choice in terms of performance.

“We all agree on that one, you know, even from Akio-san [Akio Toyoda, Toyota chairman], even though he wanted, let’s say, a Japanese driver from his academy, it becomes a joke if we’re putting that driver when he’s not good enough, right? Then people will say, ‘Oh, Toyota’s just buying a seat with money.’ That’s not what Akio-san is doing. That’s not what we’re doing. We always pick drivers due to performance.”

One driver on the market in 2026 will be Yuki Tsunoda, with the now-former Red Bull driver having moved into a test and reserve role for the upcoming season, after being replaced at the team by Isack Hadjar.

Asked if he would like to work with his compatriot in future, Komatsu replied: “I can’t comment on his future, but obviously, he’s not our driver.

“But [for] ’27, I think we have to focus on ’26 with our drivers and then, with brand new regulations, I think most of the drivers knew that obviously, as they want to see how the ’26 [season] pans out, and they wanted to pick a better team for ’27, that’s why the driver market is going to be so open for ’27.

“So, to put ourselves in a better position, our best position, [the] important thing is we’ve got to have a competitive ’26 season. That’s our focus.”

The livery of Haas’ 2026 challenger, the VF-26, will be unveiled on January 23rd, ahead of the start of the first pre-season test in Barclona three days later.

Additional reporting by Mat Coch and Thomas Maher

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