Haas Team Principal Komatsu
I believe that a major partnership such as this can only be built upon a relationship of respect and trust and a desire to work together towards a shared goal. Since we had plenty of that, I felt this could really work.
It was arranged that I would meet Chairman Toyoda, and I came to Tokyo before the Canadian Grand Prix in June.
Our visions were so closely aligned that it was hard to believe we were meeting for the first time. He is a very passionate person, and his ideas for the future, for inspiring Japan’s young people and the world of motorsports, shine through brightly.
These really resonated with what I want to accomplish through the Haas F1 Team, which was another green light.
I think these kinds of partnerships come about through personal connections, and that was the basis for this agreement. TGR possesses the manufacturing capabilities that we currently lack.
What we do have is the latest F1 know-how, while being short on people, facilities, and horsepower. These are things that TGR can contribute as we work together in various areas to improve the team and develop our personnel.
Formula 1 makes use of cutting-edge technologies, but the crucial element is the people. It is people who build things, who create simulation software, and who put them to use.
Even looking at the same data, each individual will make different decisions. We decided to pursue this partnership because both sides truly want to focus on developing people and creating a team whose efforts can inspire the next generation.