Internal parties acknowledge that Honda is considering returning to F1 with engine supply

ByJohn H Gray

Honda withdrew F1 activity in 2008According to officials, it seems that there is an idea to return to F1 as an engine supplier.

Honda eyes F1 return, rules out WRC | Racecar Engineering


This is what Racecar Engineering reported, the official said, "Although rumors are not without grounds, we have not decided anything yet, it is the same as before and we are checking the situation." It is.

In 1962, Honda entered F1 as the first full-race team not only engines but also car body development. I won the first prize in 1965, but in 1968 I temporarily suspended activities.

After that, when F1 began using turbo engine, Honda who had know-how returned as an engine supplier in 1983. From 1987 to 1992 I supplied the engine to McLaren, but Ayrton Senna who took the machine in this "McLaren Honda" era gained three times in the championship in five years, and among them Senna and a teammate in 1988 Of Alain Prost showed overwhelming strength of 15 wins out of 16 with two people. After that, withdrawing as Honda, "infinite" using the same Honda's technology continued to supply the engine.

It returned again in 2000, initially co-developing the body with B · A · R, but in 2006 it became a full work team. However, he did not perform much, but because the financial crisis originating from the subprime mortgage problem occurred, the performance as a Honda deteriorated, and he was abandoning continuing to participate in Formula 1, withdrawing with the end of the 2008 season It was.

There are rumors that domestic already has a new 1.6 liter V6 engine already designed, but as a HondaFormula NipponWhenGT 500It is seen that it will start moving towards Formula 1 after preparing the 2014 engine for the F1. In Europe, there are also rumors that Honda will again provide the engine to McLaren to reproduce the golden age.

By the way, Honda in 2012WTCC (World Touring Car Championship)We are announcing that we will only compete for three games in the first round and in 2013 we will have a full race. This WTCC engine standard isWorld Rally Championship (WRC)There was a voice to expect that there might also be a participation in this place in order to meet the terms of the agreement, but since Honda is not interested here, I am clarifying that there is no plan to make a machine.