This summer, Honda is marking a significant milestone in its motorsport history: the 60th anniversary of its first Formula One race entry. To celebrate this landmark, the iconic Honda RA272, the automaker’s first race-winning F1 machine, will make a prominent appearance at the 2024 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca from August 14-17.
The Honda RA272, celebrated for its groundbreaking engineering, made history in November 1965 as the first Japanese-made race car to secure a Formula 1 Grand Prix victory. This remarkable achievement underscored Honda’s advanced engine and chassis technologies and cemented its reputation on the global stage.
Equipped with a transverse-mounted 1.5-liter V12 engine capable of reaching 13,000 rpm, the RA272 will perform exhibition laps around Laguna Seca, driven by Honda heritage test driver Hikaru Miyagi. The RA272 was also showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024, where Miyagi-san and current F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda took the wheel.
The drive for competition and innovation has always been central to Honda’s philosophy, as exemplified by founder Soichiro Honda, who viewed racing as a means to enhance the company’s engineering prowess and product development. This “Challenging Spirit” is deeply embedded in Honda’s culture, influencing its success across both two-wheeled and four-wheeled motorsports.
Honda’s legacy in Formula One includes powering four drivers to a total of eight Drivers’ Championships. The company’s engines have set two records for the most race wins in a season, with the latest record set in 2023 by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Their dominant performance surpassed the previous record held by McLaren Honda in 1988, achieved by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
The RA272’s victory at the 1965 Mexico Grand Prix, driven by Los Angeles-born Richie Ginther, was a notable triumph shortly after Honda’s debut at the German Grand Prix in August 1964 with the RA271. For more information on Honda’s F1 racing origins, click here.
Looking ahead, Honda is preparing for a new chapter in its F1 journey. In 2026, Honda will begin a works partnership to supply power units to the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One® Team. The upcoming power units will align with the new 2026 F1 regulations, which will significantly increase the electrical power provided by the hybrid system. Honda plans to leverage this opportunity to advance its e-motor and battery technologies and integrate these innovations into its mass-produced vehicles.
Source: Honda
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