P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Haas F1 send partners Toyota warning
Haas F1 boss Ayao Komatsu has warned Toyota not to try to influence their driver lineup as part of their partnership agreement that focuses on sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources.
Despite Toyota’s return to F1 in 2024, the partnership will not involve having a say in Haas’s driver selection process, with Komatsu emphasizing the importance of performance as the key criterion in choosing drivers.
Japanese racers like Ayumu Iwasa and Yuki Tsunoda may be talented, but Haas currently has Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon as their drivers, with performance being the determining factor for driver selection.
Honda’s recent partnership with Aston Martin for power units has also sparked speculations about a potential return of Yuki Tsunoda to F1 in 2027, as Aston Martin’s current drivers’ contracts are set to expire at the end of 2026.
With Honda’s growing presence in F1, Japanese racers may have opportunities to showcase their talent, but performance remains the primary focus for both Haas and potentially Aston Martin in driver selection.
