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 entry | 1964 German Grand Prix |
---|---|
Races entered | 88 |
Engines | Honda |
Constructors’ Championships | 0 |
Drivers’ Championships | 0 |
Race victories | 3 |
Podiums | 9 |
Points | 154 |
Pole positions | 2 |
Fastest laps | 2 |
Final entry | 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix |
Entrant Names
Years | Name |
---|---|
1964–1966 | Honda R&D Company |
1967–1968 | Honda Racing |
1968 | Honda France1 |
2006 | Lucky Strike Honda Racing F1 Team |
2007–2008 | Honda Racing F1 Team |
Honda Racing Constructors’ Championship Results
Honda
Year | Car | Engine | Tyre | No. | Drivers | Rounds | Points | WCC | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | RA271 | RA271E 1.5 V12 | D | Ronnie Bucknum | 6, 8–9 | 0 | — | ||
1965 | RA272 | RA272E 1.5 V12 | G | Ronnie Bucknum | 2–4, 8–10 | 11 | 6th | ||
Richie Ginther | 2–6, 8–10 | ||||||||
1966 | RA273 | RA273E 3.0 V12 | G | Richie Ginther | 7–9 | 3 | 8th | ||
Ronnie Bucknum | 8–9 | ||||||||
1967 | RA273 RA300 | RA273E 3.0 V12 | F | John Surtees | 1–4, 6–7, 9–11 | 20 | 4th | ||
1968 | RA300 RA301 RA302 | RA273E 3.0 V12 RA301E 3.0 V12 RA302E 3.0 V8 | F | John Surtees | All | 14 | 6th | ||
Jo Schlesser | 6 | ||||||||
David Hobbs | 9 | ||||||||
1969–2005: Did not compete | |||||||||
2006 | RA106 | RA806E 2.4 V8 | M | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | All | 86 | 4th | |
12 | Jenson Button | All | |||||||
2007 | RA107 | RA807E 2.4 V8 | B | 7 | Jenson Button | All | 6 | 8th | |
8 | Rubens Barrichello | All | |||||||
2008 | RA108 | RA808E 2.4 V8 | B | 16 | Jenson Button | All | 14 | 9th | |
17 | Rubens Barrichello | All |
As Privateer
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Drivers | Rounds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1968 | Joakim Bonnier Racing Team | RA301 | RA301E 3.0 V12 | F | Jo Bonnier | 12 |
As Engine Supplier
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | No. | Drivers | Rounds | Points | WCC | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1983 | TAG Williams Racing Team | Williams FW09 | RA163E 1.5 V6t | G | 1 | Keke Rosberg | 15 | 2 | 11th | |
2 | Jacques Laffite | 15 | ||||||||
Spirit Racing | Spirit 201 Spirit 201C | 40 | Stefan Johansson | 9–14 | 0 | — | ||||
1984 | Williams Grand Prix Engineering | Williams FW09 Williams FW09B | RA163E 1.5 V6t RA164E 1.5 V6t | G | 5 | Jacques Laffite | All | 25.5 | 6th | |
6 | Keke Rosberg | All | ||||||||
1985 | Canon Williams Honda Team | Williams FW10 | RA164E 1.5 V6t RA165E 1.5 V6t | G | 5 | Nigel Mansell | All | 71 | 3rd | |
6 | Keke Rosberg | All | ||||||||
1986 | Canon Williams Honda Team | Williams FW11 | RA166E 1.5 V6t | G | 5 | Nigel Mansell | All | 141 | 1st | |
6 | Nelson Piquet | All | ||||||||
1987 | Canon Williams Honda Team | Williams FW11B | RA167E 1.5 V6t | G | 5 | Nigel Mansell | 1–15 | 137 | 1st | |
Riccardo Patrese | 16 | |||||||||
6 | Nelson Piquet | All | ||||||||
Camel Team Lotus Honda | Lotus 99T | 11 | Satoru Nakajima | All | 64 | 3rd | ||||
12 | Ayrton Senna | All | ||||||||
1988 | Camel Team Lotus Honda | Lotus 100T | RA168E 1.5 V6t | G | 1 | Nelson Piquet | All | 23 | 4th | |
2 | Satoru Nakajima | All | ||||||||
Honda Marlboro McLaren | McLaren MP4/4 | 11 | Alain Prost | All | 199 | 1st | ||||
12 | Ayrton Senna | All | ||||||||
1989 | Honda Marlboro McLaren | McLaren MP4/5 | RA109A 3.5 V10 | G | 1 | Ayrton Senna | All | 129 (141) | 1st | |
2 | Alain Prost | All | ||||||||
1990 | Honda Marlboro McLaren | McLaren MP4/5B | RA109E 3.5 V10 | G | 27 | Ayrton Senna | All | 121 | 1st | |
28 | Gerhard Berger | All | ||||||||
1991 | Honda Marlboro McLaren | McLaren MP4/6 | RA121E 3.5 V12 | G | 1 | Ayrton Senna | All | 139 | 1st | |
2 | Gerhard Berger | All | ||||||||
Braun Tyrrell Honda | Tyrrell 020 | RA101E 3.5 V10 | P | 3 | Satoru Nakajima | All | 12 | 6th | ||
4 | Stefano Modena | All | ||||||||
1992 | Honda Marlboro McLaren | McLaren MP4/6B McLaren MP4/7A | RA121E 3.5 V12 RA122E 3.5 V12 | G | 1 | Ayrton Senna | All | 99 | 2nd | |
2 | Gerhard Berger | All | ||||||||
1993–1999: Did not compete | ||||||||||
2000 | Lucky Strike Reynard BAR Honda | BAR 002 | RA000E 3.0 V10 | B | 22 | Jacques Villeneuve | All | 20 | 5th | |
23 | Ricardo Zonta | All | ||||||||
2001 | Lucky Strike BAR Honda | BAR 003 | RA001E 3.0 V10 | B | 9 | Olivier Panis | All | 17 | 6th | |
10 | Jacques Villeneuve | All | ||||||||
Benson & Hedges Jordan Honda | Jordan EJ11 | 11 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 1–11 | 19 | 5th | ||||
Ricardo Zonta | 8, 12 | |||||||||
Jarno Trulli | 13–17 | |||||||||
12 | 1–12 | |||||||||
Jean Alesi | 13–17 | |||||||||
2002 | DHL Jordan Honda | Jordan EJ12 | RA002E 3.0 V10 | B | 9 | Giancarlo Fisichella | All | 9 | 6th | |
10 | Takuma Sato | All | ||||||||
Lucky Strike BAR Honda | BAR 004 | 11 | Jacques Villeneuve | All | 7 | 8th | ||||
12 | Olivier Panis | All | ||||||||
2003 | Lucky Strike BAR Honda | BAR 005 | RA003E 3.0 V10 | B | 16 | Jacques Villeneuve | 1–15 | 26 | 5th | |
Takuma Sato | 16 | |||||||||
17 | Jenson Button | All | ||||||||
2004 | Lucky Strike BAR Honda | BAR 006 | RA004E 3.0 V10 | M | 9 | Jenson Button | All | 119 | 2nd | |
10 | Takuma Sato | All | ||||||||
2005 | Lucky Strike BAR Honda | BAR 007 | RA005E 3.0 V10 | M | 3 | Jenson Button | 1–4, 7–19 | 38 | 6th | |
4 | Takuma Sato | 1–4, 7–19 | ||||||||
Anthony Davidson | 2 | |||||||||
2006 | Super Aguri F1 Team | Super Aguri SA05 Super Aguri SA06 | RA806E 2.4 V8 | B | 22 | Takuma Sato | All | 0 | 11th | |
23 | Yuji Ide | 1–4 | ||||||||
Franck Montagny | 5–11 | |||||||||
Sakon Yamamoto | 12–18 | |||||||||
2007 | Super Aguri F1 Team | Super Aguri SA07 | RA807E 2.4 V8 | B | 22 | Takuma Sato | All | 4 | 9th | |
23 | Anthony Davidson | All | ||||||||
2008 | Super Aguri F1 Team | Super Aguri SA08 | RA808E 2.4 V8 | B | 18 | Takuma Sato | 1–4 | 0 | 11th | |
19 | Anthony Davidson | 1–4 | ||||||||
2009–2014: Did not compete | ||||||||||
2015 | McLaren Honda | McLaren MP4-30 | RA615H 1.6 V6t | P | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | 1 | 29 | 9th | |
14 | Fernando Alonso | 2–19 | ||||||||
22 | Jenson Button | All | ||||||||
2016 | McLaren Honda | McLaren MP4-31 | RA616H 1.6 V6t | P | 14 | Fernando Alonso | 1, 3–21 | 76 | 6th | |
47 | Stoffel Vandoorne | 2 | ||||||||
22 | Jenson Button | All | ||||||||
2017 | McLaren Honda | McLaren MCL32 | RA617H 1.6 V6t | P | 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | All | 30 | 9th | |
14 | Fernando Alonso | 1–5, 7–20 | ||||||||
22 | Jenson Button | 6 | ||||||||
2018 | Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda | Toro Rosso STR13 | RA618H 1.6 V6t | P | 10 | Pierre Gasly | All | 33 | 9th | |
28 | Brendon Hartley | All | ||||||||
2019 | Aston Martin Red Bull Racing | Red Bull RB15 | RA619H 1.6 V6t | P | 33 | Max Verstappen | All | 417 | 3rd | |
10 | Pierre Gasly | 1–12 | ||||||||
23 | Alexander Albon | 13–21 | ||||||||
Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda | Toro Rosso STR14 | 1–12 | 85 | 6th | ||||||
10 | Pierre Gasly | 13–21 | ||||||||
26 | Daniil Kvyat | All | ||||||||
2020 | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | AlphaTauri AT01 | RA620H 1.6 V6t | P | 10 | Pierre Gasly | All | 107 | 7th | Report |
26 | Daniil Kvyat | All | ||||||||
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing | Red Bull RB16 | 23 | Alexander Albon | All | 319 | 2nd | Report | |||
33 | Max Verstappen | All | ||||||||
2021 | Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda | AlphaTauri AT02 | RA621H 1.6L V6t | P | 10 | Pierre Gasly | All | 142 | 6th | Report |
22 | Yuki Tsunoda | All | ||||||||
Red Bull Racing Honda | Red Bull RB16B | 33 | Max Verstappen | All | 585.5 | 2nd | Report | |||
11 | Sergio Pérez | All |
Honda RBPT
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | No. | Drivers | Rounds | Points | WCC | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Scuderia AlphaTauri | AlphaTauri AT04 | Honda RBPTH001 1.6L V6t | P | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | 1–11 | 25 | 8th | Report |
21 | Nyck de Vries | 1–11 | ||||||||
3 | Daniel Ricciardo | 12–14, 19-11 | ||||||||
40 | Liam Lawson | 14–18 | ||||||||
Oracle Red Bull Racing | Red Bull RB19 | 1 | Max Verstappen | 1–11 | 860 | 1st | Report | |||
11 | Sergio Pérez | 1–11 |
Source: Wikipedia.com and fandom.com