The 2024 FIA Formula One (F1)™ World Championship marks the 60th anniversary of Honda participation in F1. On the occasion of the Japanese Grand Prix, starting on April 5, 2024, let’s look back on the history of Honda F1 participation, which began 60 years ago at the German Grand Prix in 1964. 

In addition to remembering the inspirational and memorable racing performance of great drivers such as Ayrton Senna, Satoru Nakajima and Takuma Sato, this article will conclude by introducing the Honda RACING Gallery which will soon open at Suzuka Circuit, a place cherished by many F1 drivers and motorsports fans worldwide.

“I don't know if we can do it or not, but I want to give it a try,” said Soichiro Honda as he decided to take on the challenge to compete at the pinnacle of automobile racing, the F1 World Championship.

1964: Without racing, cars will not get better

Driven by Soichiro's fervent passion, the daring challenge of a motorcycle manufacturer that had never sold a single car, had begun in 1962 when the word “F1” was not even recognized in Japan.

Initially, Honda planned to participate as an engine supplier, but in February 1964, just before the start of the season, Honda was suddenly informed its engine supply contract had been canceled by one of the leading F1 racing teams based in the U.K. However, Honda engineers had no intention of giving up. The team immediately  began developing a chassis (vehicle body) for an F1 machine. In just six months, Honda made its debut in F1 at the German Grand Prix in August 1964.

Then, in 1965, only the second year of its F1 participation, Honda achieved a remarkable feat by capturing its first victory in the final race of the season, the Mexican Grand Prix, with an original Honda-made machine, including the engine and chassis.

1983: Proving technological prowess through victory

With the desire to have many people see and enjoy the best technology and challenging spirit, after a 15-year absence, Honda returned to F1 in 1983, starting the second era of its challenge in F1 racing.

After earning the first victory in the second era in 1984, the year following the return, Honda continued competing at a high level and won the Constructors' Championship* in 1986. Furthermore, in 1987, Honda clinched both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles. In 1988, Honda won 11 consecutive races from the start of the season and won 15 of 16 races for the year. With the strong passion of everyone involved, including Ayrton Senna, Satoru Nakajima and other racing drivers, along with the successful development of innovative technologies, Honda marked the monumental achievement of winning 69 races in total and capturing double titles for five consecutive years during the 10 year-period before concluding the second era of F1 activities in 1992.

Ayrton Senna
A racing driver from Brazil who won the F1 World Drivers’ Championship three times. Senna made his F1 debut in 1984 with Toleman Motorsport based in the U.K., then competed for renowned teams, namely Lotus, McLaren and Williams. He tragically passed away at the age of 34, as the result of an accident during the San Marino Grand Prix race in 1994.

Satoru Nakajima
Nakajima debuted as a professional driver at the 1973 Suzuka Silver Cup. In 1984, he became a test driver for a Honda F1 team, and in 1987, he made his debut as an F1 driver for Lotus Honda, becoming the first full-time Japanese F1 driver. Since retiring from his role as a racing driver at the end of the 1991 season, Nakajima has been leading his team as the team director and competing in major races in Japan, currently known as the Super Formula Championship and the SUPER GT.

After an eight-year hiatus since the withdrawal in 1992, Honda returned to F1 as a works team in 2000. Then, Honda embarked on a new challenge in F1 as a power unit supplier in 2015. Honda has always advanced its engineers and refined technologies by taking on challenges toward the pinnacle.

2006: Overcoming difficult years without victory

In 2000, Honda returned to F1 with the aim of conducting comprehensive racing activities, including the development and manufacturing of both the chassis and engine, as well as team management. This brought about a new form of F1 participation for Honda with an engine supply and joint chassis development contract with BAR (British American Racing).

From the final round of the 2003 season, Takuma Sato joined Jenson Button as a regular driver for the two-driver BAR Honda lineup. The team finished the 2004 season in second place in the constructor’s ranking. In 2006, the team began competing as the Honda Racing F1 Team under the sole ownership of Honda, and captured a long-awaited first victory since its return, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 13^th round of the season.

Takuma Sato
After winning the British F3 Championship title in 2001, Sato made his F1 debut in 2002. In 2004, he achieved a third-place podium finish. In 2010, Sato shifted his career to the IndyCar Series in the United States. In 2017, Sato became the first Japanese driver to win the Indy 500, followed by a second Indy 500 victory in 2020. Since 2019, Sato has been serving in the role as the Principal of the Honda Racing School Suzuka (HRS) (formerly Suzuka Circuit Racing School). In 2024, while serving also as an Executive Advisor for HRC, Sato will be competing in the Indy 500 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, striving to win his third Indy 500 title. 

2021: Victory seized by rallying Honda's strengths

After a hiatus following the withdrawal in 2008, Honda resumed its F1 activities in 2015 in partnership with McLaren. In 2018, Honda formed partnerships with Scuderia Toro Rosso and in 2019 with Red Bull Racing, marking the beginning of their amazing progress.

In 2021, Max Verstappen finally won the Drivers’ Championship. It was a glorious achievement attained by fully incorporating the knowledge and technology of Honda development and production divisions and demonstrating the collective strengths of Honda.

Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda, a graduate of the Honda driver development program, made his F1 debut with Scuderia Alpha Tauri Honda in 2021, as the first Japanese full-time F1 driver in 7 years. In his rookie season, Tsunoda finished 7 races in the top 10, including his career-high 4th place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and finished the season in 14th place in the drivers' standings. Tsunoda continued to excel as a regular F1 driver, with fans expecting to see him earn points in his home country at the Japanese GP 2024 .

At the end of the 2021 season, Honda concluded its participation in F1. From 2022 onward, Honda has been providing technical support as a team partner to Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Alpha Tauri. HRC manufactures and supplies power units and provides PU-related technical support to Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT ^*) throughout the season. Both teams are competing in F1 with Honda RBPT power units.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Oracle Red Bull Racing won the double title for two consecutive years. Particularly, in the 2023 season, the team won 21 of 22 races, establishing an unprecedented record with the highest winning percentage in F1 history. The relationship with both teams is scheduled to continue until the end of 2025, and Yuki Tsunoda continues to strive for victory with the VISA Cash App RB Formula One Team (formerly Scuderia Alpha Tauri).

From the 2026 season, Honda will participate in F1 and supply power units to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One^® Team^*.

Starting from the 2026 season, F1 power units are required to run on 100% sustainable fuel, with maximum power output that is roughly even between the engine and electric motor. Honda, which ended its F1 participation in 2021 to focus on the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050, has decided to return to F1 based on the belief that the new F1 regulations align with the technological direction Honda is taking toward its carbon neutrality goal.

Soichiro Honda once said, “Without racing, cars will not get better.” For Honda,  participating in F1 racing has always held great significance in terms of technological development.

2024:  Opening a new gallery at Suzuka Circuit to trace Honda’s footsteps from the start of F1 participation

On April 5, 2024, in the 60th spring since Honda made its F1 debut with a white cigar-shaped machine adorned with the Japanese flag, the Honda RACING Gallery will open within the Suzuka Circuit premises, coinciding with the opening day of the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Since hosting its first F1 race in 1987, Suzuka Circuit has been a place of nostalgia for many F1 drivers and fans worldwide. The Gallery will serve as a center for communications about challenges Honda has taken on to become “number one in the world” in motorsports as well as various Honda racing technologies and to showcase the aesthetic beauty of racing machines, mostly with F1 machines.

The permanent exhibition on the ground level includes a lineup of F1 machines that have brought numerous victories to Honda, including the Honda RA272, which brought Honda its first-ever F1 race victory at the Mexican Grand Prix 1965, Red Bull Racing Honda RB16B, with which Max Verstappen won the Drivers' Championship in 2021.　Moreover, the exhibit also showcases a number of F1 machines from various eras: the early days of Honda F1 participation, the 1980s during the F1 boom, and the 2010s and beyond when the technological innovations were translated into greater environmental performance.

Additionally, in the special exhibit area on the basement level, the special exhibit that highlights Japanese F1 drivers who have fought for victory together with Honda, commemorating the opening of the Gallay and the Japanese Grand Prix 2024.

When you visit the Suzuka Circuit, be sure to stop by at the Honda RACING Gallery and experience the Honda spirit has been enabling Honda to continue taking on new challenges in motorsports.

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