Blimey, Toyota’s having another crack at F1!

Well, this is a bolt from the blue. Toyota - conquerors of Le Mans and WRC in recent years - is coming back to the big league of F1, this time in partnership with Haas.

Last time… didn’t go so well. Toyota joined the grid as a works outfit in 2002 and despite burning through eye-watering amounts of cash, it didn’t win a single race before exiting eight seasons later.

That was then, though. In the here and now the Gazoo Racing arm of the company has agreed a multi-year deal with Haas that’ll see it provide "design, technical and manufacturing services" in return for "technical expertise and commercial benefits". Nice and vague, then.

It’s similar to the deal Red Bull signed with Ford early last year, although that was slightly more explicit about what Ford was bringing to the party. Toyota hopes to develop its F1 knowledge and skills, while Haas wants to be more competitive.

There’s no engine involved here though: Haas will still get its powertrains from Ferrari, with a contract running through 2028. From the US GP next week, Gazoo Racing branding will appear on both Haas cars.

“The ability to tap into the resources and knowledge base available at Toyota Gazoo Racing, while benefiting from their technical and manufacturing processes, will be instrumental in our own development and our clear desire to further increase our competitiveness in Formula 1,” said Ayao Komatsu, Haas team principal. “Everyone at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team is looking forward to the collaborative results of this new relationship, we can’t wait to get started and fulfil our combined ambitions.”

And Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, the man who pulled the company out of the sport all those years ago, said: “I think that, somewhere deep in his heart, that ordinary older car-loving guy Akio Toyoda had always regretted having blocked - by pulling out of F1 - Japanese youths’ path toward driving the world’s fastest cars.

“I would like to see the day when a Super Formula driver grips the steering wheels of the world’s fastest cars. Mr. Komatsu, as well as to all the members of Haas, I look forward to working with you for the sake of the Japanese motorsports world.”