Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said their in-house simulator will come online in May, bringing them up to parity with the other members of the grid.<\/p>\n
While some Formula 1 outfits are well-stocked, Haas has always worked within its means but in recent years, has made real progress to make it an even playing field.<\/p>\n
Haas set for new in-house simulator in 2026<\/p>\n
Away from the track, a simulator is a key tool in helping both teams understand their car and also drivers familiarise themselves with conditions but Haas up until this point have not had one on-site.<\/p>\n
A partnership with Toyota though has opened doors and the team has been building a simulator on-site in Banbury. Komatsu revealed it should be online around May, June time and will be able to use from the moment it is online.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the Banbury one is going to be up and running around May, June time,\u201d he told media including PlanetF1.com. \u201cBut they\u2019ve [Toyota] got another one in Epsom.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re just doing our proof of concept model integration stuff in parallel with the Epsom one. So once we got the physical one installed in Banbury, we can just go.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be immediately okay when it\u2019s installed as we\u2019re doing it in parallel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Up until now, Haas has been using a Ferrari simulator in Maranello but suggested having their own would allow them to get better data.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very important, because we\u2019ve got access to a Ferrari simulator in Maranello. But of course, it\u2019s not great, because most of the engineering teams are in the UK, and then the days are limited, and it\u2019s in Italy, right?<\/p>\n
\u201cSo logistically, it\u2019s been pretty difficult.<\/p>\n
More on Haas from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n
*\u00a0F1 2026 cars: What name has each team given its chassis for the 2026 season?<\/a> \u201c[In 2026], I think the simulator is going to be even more important so we can\u2019t have that access straight away, but it\u2019s going to be really, really key, and then it\u2019s a milestone for the team to be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Since Komatsu took control of the team, Haas has evolved dramatically and a partnership with Toyota announced in October 2024 has seen them benefit from the services of Toyota Gazoo Racing, the motorsport division of the Japanese company.<\/p>\n From 2026, TGR will be Haas\u2019 title sponsor and Komatsu suggested both parties will benefit from the arrangement.<\/p>\n \u201cBetween Akio-san [Akio Toyoda, Toyota chairman] and myself, it\u2019s totally clear that the purpose of this collaboration is really trying to grow people and, through doing that, they will make a competitive organisation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at Formula 1 as an environment, if somebody wants to train people, or throw people into a very competitive, international environment, there\u2019s nothing better than Formula 1.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the amazing thing about this is it\u2019s very international, incredibly competitive. In the corporate world, certain things take, let\u2019s say, three months to develop; in Formula 1, we sort it in two weeks, right?<\/p>\n \u201cSo, in terms of training people, I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll find anything better. That\u2019s where I think our synergy comes from. We are looking for people. Akio-san was looking for an environment where he could train and grow his own people.<\/p>\n \u201cI think in the long run, for Toyota Motor Corporation, it\u2019s not just for racing. The people they grow, train in this environment will one day, hopefully, be senior managers or top management in TMC, with an international and competitive mindset.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a lot more than just about, \u2018Are they going to make a PU?\u2019, or \u2018Are they going to be the Toyota works team?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really, really not the target. I get asked this question every time, but that\u2019s not the case.\u201d<\/p>\n
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