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Historic

Honda Racing

Japanese

  • Honda R & D Company / Honda Racing F1 Team Official Name
  • Various Base
  • 1964 F1 Debut
  • Various Team Boss
  • Technical Chief
  • 0 World Championships

Honda, a former Formula One constructor, competed from 1964 to 1968 and again from 2006 to 2008. In 2015, they returned to the sport as an engine supplier, providing engines to McLaren and later with Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri.

Notable Team Members and Drivers

Ayrton Senna: One of the most legendary figures in Formula 1 history, Senna drove for McLaren from 1988 to 1993, who were supplied Honda engines. During this period, he won three World Drivers’ Championships (1988, 1990, and 1991).

Alain Prost: Another legendary driver, Prost was a teammate and rival of Ayrton Senna at McLaren-Honda. He drove for McLaren-Honda from 1988 to 1989, winning the World Drivers’ Championship in 1989.

Max Verstappen: Verstappen with Red Bull Racing and their Honda engine deal culminated in winning the 2021 World Drivers’ Championship, ending Mercedes’ Hybrid-era dominance.

Honda was initially set to supply engines to Sauber for the 2018 season, but Sauber abandoned these plans on 27 July 2017. On 15 September 2017, Honda and McLaren announced their split at the end of the 2017 season, with Honda continuing to supply engines to Toro Rosso in 2018. Honda then announced that it would exit Formula One after the 2021 season, only to return as an engine supplier to Aston Martin for 2026.

Formula 1

Honda was set to debut at the 1964 Belgian Grand Prix, but their car, the Honda RA271, wasn’t ready in time. It eventually debuted at the 1964 German Grand Prix with Ronnie Bucknum as the driver, finishing in 13th place.

At the end of 1968, Honda withdrew from the sport following the fatal crash of Jo Schlesser at the 1968 French Grand Prix that year.

Honda returned to Formula One in 1983 as an engine supplier for Spirit Racing. The RA163E turbo engine proved unreliable, leading to three race retirements. By the end of the season, Honda began supplying engines to the Williams team at the 1983 South African Grand Prix, where Keke Rosberg finished fifth, although Jacques Laffite retired after spinning off.

From 1984 to 1987, Honda supplied engines to Williams, from 1987 to 1988 to Lotus, and from 1988 to 1992 to McLaren, achieving a total of six Constructors’ Championships.

Honda exited the sport again at the end of 1992.

In 1998, Honda announced its return to Formula One, considering entering as a constructor. However, this project was abandoned in 1999 following the death of Harvey Postlethwaite.

Honda returned as an engine supplier in 2000, partnering with the BAR team. They also supplied engines to Jordan from 2001 to 2002 before focusing exclusively on their partnership with BAR from 2003 to 2005. In 2006, Honda took over the BAR team, rebranding it as Honda F1.

Due to the global economic crisis, Honda withdrew from Formula One at the end of the 2008 season, selling the team, which became Brawn GP.

In 2013, Honda announced their return to Formula One, supplying engines to McLaren starting in 2015. The 2015 season was disappointing, with the RA615H engine proving slow and unreliable, placing McLaren ninth in the Constructors’ Championship.

The 2016 season saw major improvements with the RA616H engine, but in 2017, the Honda engine again struggled with performance and reliability issues, with McLaren and Honda splitting after three years

Toro Rosso agreed to use Honda engines for the 2018 season as a works outfit. Following Honda’s rapid progress with the engines, Red Bull Racing also decided to use Honda engines for the 2019 season. Honda secured their first victory of the hybrid era at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix, with numerous wins following for both teams. The program reached its peak in the 2021 season when Honda-powered driver Max Verstappen won the 2021 World Championship. Although Honda officially withdrew from the series after 2021 to focus on carbon-neutral technologies, they arranged to continue supplying engines to the Red Bull teams until the end of 2025. These Honda-built engines went on to win further titles in 2022 and 2023. Honda made a full-scale return in 2026 with Aston Martin as their works partner, drawn back by the introduction of more sustainable regulations.

Honda Racing Formula One World Championship Records

1969 – 2005: Honda did not compete as a constructor.

First entry1964 German Grand Prix
Races entered88
EnginesHonda
Constructors’ Championships0
Drivers’ Championships0
Race victories3
Podiums9
Points154
Pole positions2
Fastest laps2
Final entry2008 Brazilian Grand Prix

Entrant Names

YearsName
1964–1966Honda R&D Company
1967–1968Honda Racing
1968Honda France1
2006Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team
2007–2008Honda Racing F1 Team
1Used by Jo Schlesser in the 1968 French Grand Prix.

Honda Racing Constructors’ Championship Results

Honda

YearCarEngineTyreNo.DriversRoundsPointsWCC
1964RA271RA271E 1.5 V12DRonnie Bucknum6, 8–90
1965RA272RA272E 1.5 V12GRonnie Bucknum2–4, 8–10116th
Richie Ginther2–6, 8–10
1966RA273RA273E 3.0 V12GRichie Ginther7–938th
Ronnie Bucknum8–9
1967RA273
RA300
RA273E 3.0 V12FJohn Surtees1–4, 6–7, 9–11204th
1968RA300
RA301
RA302
RA273E 3.0 V12
RA301E 3.0 V12
RA302E 3.0 V8
FJohn SurteesAll146th
Jo Schlesser6
David Hobbs9
1969–2005: Did not compete
2006RA106RA806E 2.4 V8M11Rubens BarrichelloAll864th
12Jenson ButtonAll
2007RA107RA807E 2.4 V8B7Jenson ButtonAll68th
8Rubens BarrichelloAll
2008RA108RA808E 2.4 V8B16Jenson ButtonAll149th
17Rubens BarrichelloAll
B – Bridgestone Tyres / D – Dunlop Tyres / F – Firestone Tyres / G – Goodyear Tyres / M – Michelin Tyres

As Privateer

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyreDriversRounds
1968Joakim Bonnier Racing TeamRA301RA301E 3.0 V12FJo Bonnier12
F – Firestone Tyres

As Engine Supplier

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyreNo.DriversRoundsPointsWCCReport
1983TAG Williams Racing TeamWilliams FW09RA163E 1.5 V6tG1Keke Rosberg15211th
2Jacques Laffite15
Spirit RacingSpirit 201
Spirit 201C
40Stefan Johansson9–140
1984Williams Grand Prix EngineeringWilliams FW09
Williams FW09B
RA163E 1.5 V6t
RA164E 1.5 V6t
G5Jacques LaffiteAll25.56th
6Keke RosbergAll
1985Canon Williams Honda TeamWilliams FW10RA164E 1.5 V6t
RA165E 1.5 V6t
G5Nigel MansellAll713rd
6Keke RosbergAll
1986Canon Williams Honda TeamWilliams FW11RA166E 1.5 V6tG5Nigel MansellAll1411st
6Nelson PiquetAll
1987Canon Williams Honda TeamWilliams FW11BRA167E 1.5 V6tG5Nigel Mansell1–151371st
Riccardo Patrese16
6Nelson PiquetAll
Camel Team Lotus HondaLotus 99T11Satoru NakajimaAll643rd
12Ayrton SennaAll
1988Camel Team Lotus HondaLotus 100TRA168E 1.5 V6tG1Nelson PiquetAll234th
2Satoru NakajimaAll
Honda Marlboro McLarenMcLaren MP4/411Alain ProstAll1991st
12Ayrton SennaAll
1989Honda Marlboro McLarenMcLaren MP4/5RA109A 3.5 V10G1Ayrton SennaAll129 (141)1st
2Alain ProstAll
1990Honda Marlboro McLarenMcLaren MP4/5BRA109E 3.5 V10G27Ayrton SennaAll1211st
28Gerhard BergerAll
1991Honda Marlboro McLarenMcLaren MP4/6RA121E 3.5 V12G1Ayrton SennaAll1391st
2Gerhard BergerAll
Braun Tyrrell HondaTyrrell 020RA101E 3.5 V10P3Satoru NakajimaAll126th
4Stefano ModenaAll
1992Honda Marlboro McLarenMcLaren MP4/6B
McLaren MP4/7A
RA121E 3.5 V12
RA122E 3.5 V12
G1Ayrton SennaAll992nd
2Gerhard BergerAll
1993–1999: Did not compete
2000Lucky Strike Reynard BAR HondaBAR 002RA000E 3.0 V10B22Jacques VilleneuveAll205th
23Ricardo ZontaAll
2001Lucky Strike BAR HondaBAR 003RA001E 3.0 V10B9Olivier PanisAll176th
10Jacques VilleneuveAll
Benson & Hedges Jordan HondaJordan EJ1111Heinz-Harald Frentzen1–11195th
Ricardo Zonta8, 12
Jarno Trulli13–17
121–12
Jean Alesi13–17
2002DHL Jordan HondaJordan EJ12RA002E 3.0 V10B9Giancarlo FisichellaAll96th
10Takuma SatoAll
Lucky Strike BAR HondaBAR 00411Jacques VilleneuveAll78th
12Olivier PanisAll
2003Lucky Strike BAR HondaBAR 005RA003E 3.0 V10B16Jacques Villeneuve1–15265th
Takuma Sato16
17Jenson ButtonAll
2004Lucky Strike BAR HondaBAR 006RA004E 3.0 V10M9Jenson ButtonAll1192nd
10Takuma SatoAll
2005Lucky Strike BAR HondaBAR 007RA005E 3.0 V10M3Jenson Button1–4, 7–19386th
4Takuma Sato1–4, 7–19
Anthony Davidson2
2006Super Aguri F1 TeamSuper Aguri SA05
Super Aguri SA06
RA806E 2.4 V8B22Takuma SatoAll011th
23Yuji Ide1–4
Franck Montagny5–11
Sakon Yamamoto12–18
2007Super Aguri F1 TeamSuper Aguri SA07RA807E 2.4 V8B22Takuma SatoAll49th
23Anthony DavidsonAll
2008Super Aguri F1 TeamSuper Aguri SA08RA808E 2.4 V8B18Takuma Sato1–4011th
19Anthony Davidson1–4
2009–2014: Did not compete
2015McLaren HondaMcLaren MP4-30RA615H 1.6 V6tP20Kevin Magnussen1299th
14Fernando Alonso2–19
22Jenson ButtonAll
2016McLaren HondaMcLaren MP4-31RA616H 1.6 V6tP14Fernando Alonso1, 3–21766th
47Stoffel Vandoorne2
22Jenson ButtonAll
2017McLaren HondaMcLaren MCL32RA617H 1.6 V6tP2Stoffel VandoorneAll309th
14Fernando Alonso1–5, 7–20
22Jenson Button6
2018Red Bull Toro Rosso HondaToro Rosso STR13RA618H 1.6 V6tP10Pierre GaslyAll339th
28Brendon HartleyAll
2019Aston Martin Red Bull RacingRed Bull RB15RA619H 1.6 V6tP33Max VerstappenAll4173rd
10Pierre Gasly1–12
23Alexander Albon13–21
Red Bull Toro Rosso HondaToro Rosso STR141–12856th
10Pierre Gasly13–21
26Daniil KvyatAll
2020Scuderia AlphaTauri HondaAlphaTauri AT01RA620H 1.6 V6tP10Pierre GaslyAll1077thReport
26Daniil KvyatAll
Aston Martin Red Bull RacingRed Bull RB1623Alexander AlbonAll3192ndReport
33Max VerstappenAll
2021Scuderia AlphaTauri HondaAlphaTauri AT02RA621H 1.6L V6tP10Pierre GaslyAll1426thReport
22Yuki TsunodaAll
Red Bull Racing HondaRed Bull RB16B33Max VerstappenAll585.52ndReport
11Sergio PérezAll
B – Bridgestone Tyres / G – Goodyear Tyres / M – Michelin Tyres / P – Pirelli

Honda RBPT

YearEntrantChassisEngineTyreNo.DriversRoundsPointsWCCReport
2023Scuderia AlphaTauriAlphaTauri AT04Honda RBPTH001
1.6L V6t
P22Yuki Tsunoda1–11258thReport
21Nyck de Vries1–11
3Daniel Ricciardo12–14, 19-11
40Liam Lawson14–18
Oracle Red Bull RacingRed Bull RB191Max Verstappen1–118601stReport
11Sergio Pérez1–11
P – Pirelli

Source: Wikipedia.com and fandom.com

Honda Racing Drivers

Driver Nationality Current/Last Team F1 Debut Status
British Surtees 1971 Austrian Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
Swedish Ecurie Bonnier 1956 Italian Grand Prix Died
Brazilian Williams 1993 South African Grand Prix Retired
British McLaren 2000 Australian Grand Prix F1 Legend

Previous/Next Team Names

Team Nationality Debut Season Status
Tyrrell British 1970 Historic
BAR British 1999 Historic
Brawn GP British 2009 Historic
Mercedes German 1954 Current