Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda admitted his regret over pulling out of Formula 1 in 2009 and wants to “inspire Japanese children” with the marque’s Haas alliance.
The Japanese automotive brand launched its own F1 team at a considerable expense in 2002, competing for eight seasons before pulling out of the sport amid a global financial crisis.
In that time, Toyota achieved 13 podiums but failed to pick up a single race victory.
Now, through its Toyota Gazoo Racing brand, the Japanese marque is back in F1 through a technical alliance with Haas and Toyoda wants the partnership to inspire the next generation of Japanese drivers.
“Everyone wants to drive the world’s fastest cars,” Toyoda said.
“That said, I’m the person who quit F1.
“In January this year, I said in front of everyone that I had finally gotten back to being an ordinary older guy who loves cars.
“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.
“That said, with the media watching my every step, I dare to add that I still believe my decision as the president of Toyota to withdraw from F1 was not wrong.”
Toyota wants Japanese Super Formula drivers to race in F1 with Haas
15 years on from Toyota withdrawing its F1 team, its comeback on the Grand Prix stage will see it drive engineering and driving talent from Japan.
Toyota will assist Haas with aerodynamic development, manufacturing and design.
As well as this, Toyota’s development drivers, mechanics and engineers will be involved in Haas’ official test programme.
“Please make sure that tomorrow’s headlines don’t read: ‘Toyota Finally Returns to F1,'” exclaimed Toyoda.
“Rather, it would be great to see headlines and articles that inspire Japanese children to dream of the possibility that they, too, could one day drive the world’s fastest cars.”
Toyoda expressed his desire to promote more drivers from Japanese karting, through the country’s single-seater ranks to the Super Formula category and then into F1.
“I would like to see the day when a Super Formula driver grips the steering wheels of the world’s fastest cars,” he said.
As it stands, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Ritomo Miyata is competing in his first season in the FIA Formula 2 series with Rodin and the marque’s FIA World Endurance Driver Ryo Hirakawa is a McLaren Reserve.
