Recent speculation about Toyota considering a return to Formula 1 through a partnership with Haas have been dismissed as inaccurate.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, these speculations gained traction after a Toyota racing executive was seen in the Haas team garage during the British GP, but the idea of a partnership appears far-fetched.
Reports had suggested that Toyota, which last participated as a full works team in F1 back in 2009, was initially looking at a sponsorship arrangement that could potentially escalate into deeper involvement.
Auto Motor und Sport journalist Tobias Gruner, however, finds these claims implausible because they "didn't really make sense".
It's worth noting that it is believed Haas recently renewed its engine and technical agreements with Ferrari, extending through 2028.
Gruner's investigation reveals that Toyota's actual interest lies elsewhere; they are "looking for a new tenant for the wind tunnel in Cologne," previously utilized by McLaren.
McLaren has since upgraded to a new cutting-edge tunnel at its headquarters, citing past difficulties with the regulations when using the Cologne facility. "One of the reasons we had so much trouble with the new regulations is that we had to go to Cologne for the wind tunnel," McLaren's Andrea Stella mentioned this week.
Utilizing Toyota's wind tunnel might represent an upgrade for Haas, whose aerodynamic developments currently rely entirely on Ferrari's facilities in Maranello.
"It is also possible that Toyota will take over some of the contracted manufacturing (for Haas) currently carried out at Dallara in Italy," Gruner added. "However, there are no concrete agreements on this yet."
The report also clarifies the presence of Toyota motorsport official Masaya Kaji at Silverstone, noting he is a "good friend" of Haas boss Ayao Komatsu. Gruner emphasizes that even post-2028, after the current Ferrari deal concludes, Toyota does not foresee increasing its participation in Formula 1.
"Building its own engines or even making a comeback with its own team is currently not conceivable," Gruner concludes.
