Haas have signed former Renault and Alpine engineer Pierre Genon to manage the team’s new technical partnership with Toyota from F1 2025.

Toyota withdrew from F1 at the end of 2009, with the brand’s Toyota Gazoo Racing operation achieving huge success in the World Endurance Championship and the World Rally Championship in the years since.

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Last October, the Japanese manufacturer dipped its toes back into F1 waters by announcing a technical partnership with the Haas team.

It has been widely interpreted as the first step towards a potential full-blown comeback by Toyota.

Toyota’s agreement with Haas came after Tokyo-born Ayao Komatsu succeeded Guenther Steiner as team principal at the start of last year, overseeing Haas’s most productive season since 2018.

Haas finished an impressive seventh in the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship, scoring 58 points.

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The team will field an all-new driver lineup for F1 2025, with former Alpine driver Esteban Ocon partnering Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman.

Ahead of the team’s first full season of their partnership with Toyota, Haas have confirmed the appointment of Genon to the newly created role of Toyota project manager.

Genon is expected to act as the link between the race team in Banbury and Toyota Gazoo Racing in Cologne, Germany.

Writing on LinkedIn, Genon said: “I am extremely excited to finally join Moneygram Haas F1 team this coming week as Toyota project manager, with the key accountability to drive the collaboration between Haas F1 and Toyota Gazoo Racing.

“I have everything to learn about the team, the project, and the partner, and the state-of-charge is at 100 per cent for a challenge which will be quite different from the previous one.

“I am eager to meet my new team mates and to contribute to the next steps in the progress of the team via this new project.”

In a separate post, Genon paid tribute to his former colleagues at Alpine, the Enstone-based team he joined in 2012 after stints in the WRC and endurance racing.

He added: “A big thank you to all those I had the pleasure of working with in the past 12 years, whether they are still there, or have moved on. Thank you for the support, the collaboration… And the laughs.

“I also spare a thought for Viry-Chatillon where I always felt very welcome. There are many good people there and so much heritage. For those wishing to continue in top level motorsport, I hope that you find what you want.

“I have no doubt that Enstone is also still full of talent and will provide fierce competition in my next adventure.”

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Earlier this month, Masaya Kaji, Toyota’s director of global motorsport, confirmed that a full F1 return is under consideration by the Japanese manufacturer.

However, he insisted that a comeback is far from imminent with Toyota not yet in a position to commit to a return to F1.

He told Motorsport.com: “We are, of course, studying the technologies for 2026 and even current technologies.

“I feel we’re gradually moving in that direction. We’re not at a stage where we would redirect all our resources there [to a full comeback].

“What happens after 2030 is still uncertain. We’re working on various new technologies, so whether our vector aligns with F1 remains to be seen.

“If we had our own team, we could choose which drivers to put in the car. In that sense, it would indeed bring us closer to putting drivers in F1.

“But realistically, we have to evaluate how much money and how many staff members would be required to make that happen.

“That’s why I don’t think we’re at the stage of saying: ‘Let’s start a team immediately.’

“For now, building partnerships, like with Haas, and working with various teams is what’s important.

“We’re not in a stage to leap over those steps. We need to focus on doing what we should be doing right now.”

Mr Kaji’s comments came just days after Toyota-affiliated star Ryo Hirakawa was confirmed as an Alpine reserve driver for the F1 2025 season.

The Le Mans winner, who was previously at McLaren and represented the Woking team in opening practice at the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi, is set to drive for Alpine in FP1 at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in April.

Toyota recently established a partnership with Hitech GP, the F2 team founded by Alpine F1 team principal Oliver Oakes.

Rumours have persisted over the future of the Renault-owned Alpine team, with Oakes’ appointment last summer sparking suggestions that the team could merge with Hitech in the future.

However, both Renault chairman Luca de Meo and team adviser Flavio Briatore have consistently denied that the Enstone-based outfit is for sale.

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