About > Blog > Honda F1 HistoryHonda has been a part of the Formula One racing circuit in one form or another since 1964, something that many Americans may not be aware of. The first Honda to enter the F1 scene was the 1964 RA271 driven by Ronnie Bucknum. In this Honda's first year the team failed to earn any points, but this was only a jumping off point for what has become a successful part of the overall Honda racing program. Image from www.f1-facts.comThe Early YearsFollowing the unsuccessful first season kicked off at the Grand Prix of Germany in 1964, Bucknum went on to earn 6th place in the 1965 year, earning a total of 11 points in the RA272, scoring a win with driver Richie Ginther at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. Unlike many teams in these early years, Honda chose to build their own chassis and engine. This was something that only BRM and Ferrari had been doing. 1966 saw the next generation of Honda F1 cars designed to meet the new 3.0L rules. The car was the RA273 and featured a 3.2 liter V12 engine mounted in an unfortunately heavy chassis that did not do well. BY 1967 legendary driver John Surtees would take Honda back into the winner circle and the Italian Grand Prix in the all-new Honda RA300. This car features a chassis that owed part of its design to Lola based in the U.K. It would also be the last F1 car built by Honda in this decade to be competitive. In 1967 the RA301 managed to reach the podium twice, but the following year the RA302 would only appear in one race. Held at Rouen-Les-Essarts the RA302 had only completed a few laps before ending the race and the life of driver Jo Schlesser in a fiery crash that would see Honda pulling out of Formula One racing. Image From www.motorsportretro.comOff the Track but Not Out Of the RaceAs a side note Honda may not have fielded a car in the Formula One series for several decades, this did not mean the company was not involved. In fact over the course of the next 4 decades, Honda engines could be found in a number of famous cars such as those from Lotus, Footwork, Ligier, Jordan and Prost under the guise of their partner Mugen Motorsports. In fact cars with these engines won 4 Grands Prix by the end of the 1999 season. Creative Commons ImageReturning to the TrackIn September of 2005 Honda made the decision to return to the Formula One track by purchasing the final 55 percent of BAR. They made the decision to race under the Honda Racing F1 Team for the 2006 season. Honda's entry for the 2006 F1 season was a V8 powered RA106 that was considered to be one of the most powerful cars on the track, earing pole position at the Australian Grand Prix. During the 2006 season Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button managed 4th place and earned 86 points.Both drivers would continue on with Honda for the next two seasons earning 8th place in 2008 and 9th place in 2009. In 2015 Honda once again returned to the Formula One scene as an engine supplier by renewing their relationship with the McLaren Rating team. Despite getting off to a rocky start McLaren is one of the winningest Formula One teams in history and plans to continue in this vein powered by the incredible engines developed by Honda. Since first hitting the circuit in 1966, McLaren has amassed a total of 182 Grand Prix wins. See More Blog PostsCheck Honda PricingProctor Honda2373 West Tennessee StreetTallahassee, FL 32304
