Honda

Interesting facts

Honda entered Formula 1 in 1964 as a full constructor, building both its own engine and chassis - just four years after launching its first-ever road car. In 1965, with the RA272, Richie Ginther scored the marque's first Grand Prix win, at the Mexican Grand Prix. The RA273, introduced after the 1966 rule change to 3-litre engines, was powered by a 360 hp V12. In 1967 John Surtees won the Italian Grand Prix in the RA300 - a car whose chassis development involved Britain's Lola, earning it the nickname 'Hondola' from the press - and did so in the car's very first race. In 1968 the RA301 suffered reliability trouble despite scoring two podium finishes. That same year the experimental RA302 appeared in just one race, the French Grand Prix at Rouen-Les-Essarts - its fiery crash killed driver Jo Schlesser. That tragedy, combined with a strategic shift toward selling road cars in the American market, led Honda to withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of the 1968 season. Honda raced in Formula 1 from 1964 to 2008, across 8 seasons as a Japanese team. The team scored a total of 154 constructors' championship points.