Honda’s history in Formula One spans over half a century, marked by moments of technical brilliance, bold departures, painful missteps, and glorious comebacks. Since its debut in 1964, Honda has navigated the shifting landscape of F1 as both constructor and engine supplier, building a rich legacy across multiple eras of the sport.
1964 – 1968 : Factory Entry and Early Success
Honda entered Formula One as both constructor and engine supplier in 1964. In just their second season, Honda secured their first Grand Prix victory at the 1965 Mexican GP, with Richie Ginther driving the RA272.
However, tragedy struck in 1968 with the fatal crash of Jo Schlesser at the French Grand Prix. Citing safety concerns and a strategic shift in priorities, Honda withdrew from F1 by the end of that season.
1983 – 1992 : Dominance as an Engine Supplier
Honda returned in 1983 and quickly established dominance by powering top teams : Spirit (1983), Williams (1984–1987), Lotus (1987–1988) and McLaren (1988–1992). During this period of time, they achieved 6 Constructors’ Championships and 5 Drivers’ Championships with Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna. With McLaren, the RA168E 1.5L turbo V6 of 1988 was almost unbeatable, taking 15 wins in 16 races. But Honda was to exit Formula One in 1992, citing economic pressures and a desire to refocus on developments of road cars.
1993 – 2000 : Mugen-Honda Collaboration
Working alongside Mugen Motorsports, Honda developed and maintained Formula One engines for teams namely Footwork, Lotus, Ligier, and Jordan. The result saw Jordan taking 2 race wins and 3rd place in the Constructors’ Championship, signaling Honda’s continued influence behind the scenes.
2000–2008 : Honda Works Team Returns
Honda returned more directly in 2000 by partnering with the British American Racing (BAR) team. After initial struggles, the BAR-Honda partnership peaked in 2004, finishing 2nd in the Constructors’ Championship.
In 2006, Honda took full control, forming the Honda Racing F1 Team. That same year, Jenson Button delivered Honda’s first win as a works team at the Hungarian GP. Unfortunately, results declined sharply in 2007–2008, and the global financial crisis forced Honda to withdraw once again at the end of 2008.
2015–2017 : McLaren-Honda
Honda re-entered Formula One, partnering McLaren with a 1.6L Turbo Hybrid V6 engine (RA615H and variants). But it ended with a disastrous outcome, where the engine was plagued by poor performance, reliability issues, and publicly criticized by Fernando Alonso. McLaren ended the partnership in 2017.
2018–2021 : Redemption with Red Bull
Determined to prove itself, Honda began supplying engines to Toro Rosso (AlphaTauri) and Red Bull Racing, where Pierre Gasly wins the Italian GP for AlphaTauri in 2020 and Max Verstappen winning the Drivers’ Championship in 2021.
Honda officially withdrew from F1 at the end of 2021, but their power units continued under the Red Bull Powertrains name, still supported technically by Honda Racing Corporation.
2022 – Present
Red Bull wins both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships, affirming the legacy of Honda’s engineering prowess
Looking Ahead: Return with Aston Martin in 2026
Honda will return as a works engine supplier in 2026, partnering with Aston Martin under the new Formula One power unit regulations. It marks another bold chapter in Honda’s storied F1 journey.
