TOKYO: Toyota is increasing its presence in Formula 1 after taking over the title sponsorship of the Haas team on Thursday.
It’s another high-profile commitment to F1 by a major automaker as the General Motors-backed Cadillac team prepares to make its debut next year.
The team’s new name in 2026 will be TGR Haas F1 Team. The TGR stands for Toyota Gazoo Racing, which is the racing division of the Toyota Motor Corporation.
Taking over the title sponsorship means Toyota is more involved in F1 than at any time since it pulled its team out after the 2009 season. Since then, its circuit racing efforts have largely focused on sportscar events, including five straight wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2018-22.
Haas and Toyota signed a technical partnership a year ago for research, engineering and driver development and the Haas car has carried some Toyota branding since. Toyota-linked Japanese drivers have taken part in tests using older Haas cars.
Haas continues to use Ferrari engines next year under a deal running through 2028, as it has done each year it’s raced in F1. Haas has long worked closely with Ferrari and said last year Ferrari was consulted over the founding of its initial Toyota partnership.
Toyota ran its own team in F1 from 2002-09 but failed to win a race despite spending heavily. It eventually withdrew from the series while the parent company was under financial pressure.
“It’s naturally a privilege to deepen our relationship with TGR through this new title partnership agreement,” Ayao Komatsu, team principal of Haas, said in a team statement, adding that the existing technical partnership has already “benefited us greatly.”
Akio Toyoda, the chairman of the Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “Throughout our challenges in the 2025 season I witnessed young TGR drivers and engineers begin to believe in their own potential and set their sights on even greater dreams. Seeing this transformation moved me deeply. And today I can say this with confidence — Toyota has begun to move. Really move.”
Toyoda has said previously he had second thoughts about pulling Toyota out of F1. He said part of his regret was not giving young drivers a better chance to compete in F1.
The length of the sponsorship agreement wasn’t immediately clear and the statement mentioned only 2026.
Haas has been in F1 since 2016 and is eighth in the constructors’ standings this season, which included Oliver Bearman placing fourth in Mexico. That was Haas’ best race result since 2018 even though he fell short of achieving the team’s first podium finish.
The final race of 2025 is on Sunday in Abu Dhabi and three drivers are in contention for the world championship.
Lando Norris of McLaren leads by 12 points over Max Verstappen of Red Bull. Oscar Piastri of McLaren is 16 points behind. Norris and Piastri are trying for their first season titles, Verstappen is after his fifth straight.
Toyota deepens connections in F1 by sponsoring Haas team in 2026
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Toyota deepens connections in F1 by sponsoring Haas team in 2026
- The team’s new name in 2026 will be TGR Haas F1 Team
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
