$273B market cap-worth Japanese giant planning a Formula 1 comeback in 2025

According to the latest updates, Japanese automobile giant Toyota is willing to return to Formula 1. They left the sport in 2009, and now, 15 years later, they are working hard to return to the pinnacle of motorsport.

Toyota has a rich heritage in motorsport and as of 2024, they operate at the highest order in NASCAR, America's favorite form of auto racing. Recent reports suggest that they are now likely to set foot in F1 and form a partnership with a team in 2025.

According to formula.hu, Toyota is being linked to the Haas F1 Team owned by Gene Haas for a possible collaboration. Toyota, being one of the world's biggest car manufacturers, will reportedly move for a sponsorship deal initially before they increase their involvement with the American team.

Similar to Alfa Romeo's former partnership with Sauber, Toyota is likely to work together with Haas before the monumental 2026 project. Toyota, which has a market cap of $273 billion as of 2024, interestingly has no immediate plans to supply engines to Haas.

The Haas F1 team currently uses Ferrari engines, but a close association with the Japanese manufacturers could see them work together for the production of chassis for 2026. Besides this, Toyota could also come up to partner with Haas in building the F1 car parts.

In that regard, they are likely to use Toyota's Formula 1 wind tunnel situated in Cologne, Germany. The tunnel dates back to the last decade but is actively used by Andretti, who also hope for a breakthrough in Formula 1 in 2026.

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Toyota's rich Formula 1 history

Toyota's Formula 1 connection can be traced back to 1972 when the Andersson Motorsport team used their Toyota Celica 1600GT car in the RAC Rally in the United Kingdom. Two decades after this instance of involvement, Toyota Motorsport GmbH was formed in 1993.

Jarno Trulli of Italy and Toyoya in action during practice for the German F1 Grand Prix at the Hockenheim Circuit on July 22, 2005 in Heidelberg, Germany. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Toyota Formula 1 Team made their debut in 2002 at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. They raced their last at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after they announced their immediate withdrawal from the sport. In their eight years of stay in F1, they entered 140 races.

During this time, they claimed 13 podiums, three pole positions, three fastest laps and 278.5 points. Renowned drivers who drove for them are Jarno Trulli, Ralf Schumacher, Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi.

Fellow Japanese manufacturers Honda, who are currently associated with Red Bull and VCARB, also decided to withdraw from the sport at the end of 2021. However, they changed their mind about not remaining in Formula 1, and most recently, they signed a collaboration deal with Aston Martin, starting in 2026.

Once Toyota enters the sphere, it will be interesting to see how the battle between the Japanese automobile manufacturers turns out.