Last Updated on October 15 2024, 1:06 pm

The Haas team has always been something of an oddity in Formula One. It was conceived by Gunther Steiner who believed he could create an F1 team which assembles a car which has been developed and produced by outsourced partners.

Dellara were commissioned to design the chassis and aero parts, while Ferrari delivered the power unit and all the associated components allowed under the FIA’s ‘listed parts’ regulations.

The concept was to provide a low cost entry into Formula One without the huge investment required by kitting out a factory to deliver an F1 car start to finish.

 

 

 

Haas ‘low cost’ F1 model

Other Formula One teams were uncertain at first whether this kind of arrangement might be outside the spirit of F1 competition. Whilst accepting this kind of low cost model could allow more teams to enter the sport and be competitive the smaller privateer style outfits, Williams in particular, were concerned about the closeness of the relationship between manufacturers and satellite constructors handing even greater political power to F1’s larger constructors.

Yet Williams et al need not have worried given Haas F1’s chequered history since it joined the grid a year late in 2016. The American owned outfit have spent their time bouncing around the bottom of the constructors’ championship and with the exception of 2018 where Haas came fifth, they finished eighth in 2022 with the remaining results being either last or second to last.

This year could be Haas second best finish during their nine year tenure in F1 as they currently sit in seventh place, Well clear of Williams and just three points behind V-CARB as the gap continues to close.

Gene Haas who owns the team is something of an enigma, with his kit car F1 team and no vision of what the future looks like for the Banbury based outfit. With Andretti Global knocking on the F1 door, had Gene lost interest in the project, there was an opportunity for him to sell to his fellow American especially given Haas announced earlier this year he was closing the doors on his fifteen years of NASCAR racing together with the Infinity Series operation.

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Haas shuts down NASCAR operation

Yet a report from Associated Press journalist, Jenna Fryer, reveals Gene has no plans to take on investment partners, strip back his own F1 investment or even sell the F1 outfit entirely off the back of the surprise NASCAR decision.

This week Haas announced a new partnership with Toyota which raised questions over its existing relationship with Dallara. The outsourced chassis builder for the Americans has been reportedly weeks slower delivering upgrades than experienced for the rest of the F1 grid, so while less expensive Haas F1’s current model often sees them fall away from the others in the season long car development race.

Toyota however have greater capabilities than Dellara and it is suspected over time the Japanese manufacturer will support Haas F1’s design and construction functions potentially completely replacing the Italians down the road.

Team boss Ayao Komastu accidentally left the cat out of the bag when he used the following example of how the new relationship and sponsorship from Toyota (TGR) would work.

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Haas team boss makes accidental reveal

 “Let’s say, if we ask TGR to make our front wing. There will be an exchange in terms of PO [purchase order], so we will be paying for that front wing, but that will come out of this sponsorship money. Whereas making [the] front wing at Dallara, Mr Haas needs to pay. So, the source of money is different, but [the] mechanism itself [is] very fundamentally the same.”

Well then… it appears a no brainer that Haas will edge ever closer to Toyota who will deliver them components paid for as a sponsor rather than coughing up real cash to Dellara and waiting weeks for the work to be completed.“In due course, we will discuss what parameters we’ll keep working with Dallara, which parameters we’ll keep working with Toyota. But we will co-exist. It’s not a case of replacing one with another,” said Komatsu yet this suggests a change in role for Dellara appears inevitable.

Komatsu also revealed the team has been on a recruitment drive this year in an attempt to increase its workforce by 10% from its current numbers of around 300. 

The Spectre of Toyota (Gazoo Racing) embedding their engineers in Haas was also addressed by Komatsu. “Certain senior position recruitment at the race team has been a real struggle [in the 2024 recruitment drive]. And then if, TGR had that personnel that fits the profile, I’d have taken him or her straight away. But at [the] moment, they haven’t.”

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Toyota claim no F1 team/engine plans

As TJ13 reported last week, this has the look and feel of a back door F1 re-entry opportunity rather than merely a technical collaboration and some air time for Toyota.

The all new partnership with Toyota which begins in Austin, Texas is a “clear sign” that the US owned F1 team is up for sale says Ralf Schumacher despite TGR’s GM Masaya Kaji claiming “We have no plan to enter power unit supply, at this moment.”

As almost an afterthought Kaji added: “Actually, we have no plan to have a team in F1. At this moment, we have the best choice and best option to collaborate with Haas.”

TGR says it will benefit from current F1 expertise lost within the company since its departure from F1 back in 2010, though the Haas model by very definition means much of its F1 knowledge and skills are already sub-contracted out.

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“Haas is for sale”

Yet Ralf is adamant: “For me, the partnership with Toyota is a clear sign that Haas is for sale,” he tells Sport1.

“It is now important for Toyota to change their engineering philosophy,” he added. “In my time they always rotated their technicians from department to department. But in Formula 1 you need experts in every field and not people who know a little about everything.”

Ralf Schumacher drove for Toyota F1 between 2005 and 2007 and retains connections from his time with the Japanese outfit. He doesn’t claim yet to have inside knowledge of a Toyota back door F1 entry, but his comments this week suggest there may be a strong possibility this will occur with Haas.

Of course if Toyota were to improve Haas F1 performances significantly, then the sale price for the team would also rise. To this end there is most likely a confidential arrangement between the parties, such that should Toyota wish to buy Haas F1, the price mechanism is already agreed.

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FIA president hints at F1 calendar extension

This year the Formula One teams will compete over a record breaking 24 race weekends and with a new Concorde Agreement in the offing the issue of extending the maximum allowed events above 24 is rearing its head.

It would be logical to believe that Formula One Management (FOM) would like as many races as possible on the calendar, given each event pays a large hosting fee.

Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of FOM, last year mooted the idea that F1 could have even up to 30 hosts given the levels of interest he has had from potential new race venues. “I would say there is potential to go to 30,” said Domenicali indicating the high level of interest from new race venues… READ MORE