# Honda in Formula One
**Honda in Formula One** refers to the participation of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in the FIA Formula One World Championship as a constructor and, more often, as an engine and power unit supplier, across four eras: 1964 to 1968, 1983 to 1992, 2000 to 2008, and 2015 to 2021, with a works partnership with Aston Martin Aramco beginning in 2026.[1](https://global.honda/en/F1/history/) • [2](https://www.formulaonehistory.com/teams/honda/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First entry | German Grand Prix, August 1964, as a full constructor, less than two years after completing the Suzuka Circuit[1](https://global.honda/en/F1/history/) • [3](https://en.honda.com.cn/uploads/upload/files/20250324/ac3e2bed5e5450514fae8a0192483ff9.pdf) |
| First win | 1965 Mexican Grand Prix, Richie Ginther in the RA272[4](https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/world-of-honda/past/racing.html) |
| Second era (1983–1992) | 69 wins by Honda-engined teams and drivers, 6 Constructors' titles, 5 Drivers' titles[5](https://global.honda/jp/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/2nd_Era_technology/) |
| McLaren years (1988–1992) | 44 Grand Prix victories, four consecutive Drivers' Championships and four consecutive Constructors' Championships[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) |
| 1988 season | 15 wins from 16 Grands Prix with ten one-two finishes; Ayrton Senna's first World Championship[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) • [7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) |
| Total wins 1964–1992 | 71 races, of which 32 were won by Senna[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) |
| Current program | RA626H power unit supplied exclusively to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team from 2026[8](https://global.honda/en/F1/machine/2026_AMR26/) |
## First era: 1964 to 1968
Honda entered [Formula One](https://www.edgepedia.org/formula-one) at the 1964 [German Grand Prix](https://www.edgepedia.org/german-grand-prix), a project driven by founder [Soichiro Honda](https://www.edgepedia.org/soichiro-honda) at a time when, in the company's own telling, the term F1 was not even known in Japan and the company had not yet sold a single car.[1](https://global.honda/en/F1/history/) The 1965 season produced the maiden victory when Richie Ginther, driving the RA272, won the Mexican Grand Prix in October.[1](https://global.honda/en/F1/history/) • [4](https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/world-of-honda/past/racing.html) The program struggled with the 3-liter formula introduced in 1966, ran a partnership year in 1967, and ended after 1968 with the appearance of air-cooled F1 machinery.[9](https://global.honda/jp/F1/HONDA1964-1968/)
## Second era: 1983 to 1992
In 1978 president Kiyoshi Kawashima announced Honda's return to racing; the company first rebuilt its record in Formula 2, winning the European F-2 Championship in 1981, before developing F1 engines.[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) For the second phase Honda decided to supply only engines, partnering with European chassis manufacturers. It returned at the 1983 [British Grand Prix](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-grand-prix) with Team Spirit, whose car retired after five laps, and the Williams Honda team debuted at that season's South African Grand Prix, finishing fifth with [Keke Rosberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/keke-rosberg).[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html)
**The first victory of the comeback** came at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix, held in 40 degrees Celsius heat, where Rosberg won on a street circuit that retired machine after machine through overheating.[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) A new engine introduced from the 1985 [Canadian Grand Prix](https://www.edgepedia.org/canadian-grand-prix) brought four victories that year, and in 1986 Honda won its first Constructors' Championship with Williams, followed in 1987 by both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles with [Nelson Piquet](https://www.edgepedia.org/nelson-piquet).[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) • [7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) In 1987 Honda supplied both Williams, with [Nigel Mansell](https://www.edgepedia.org/nigel-mansell) and Piquet, and Team Lotus, with Ayrton Senna and Satoru Nakajima, the first Japanese driver to compete in F1 as a main driver; at the 1987 British Grand Prix, Honda-engined cars finished first, second, third, and fourth.[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html)
**The McLaren partnership.** From 1988 Honda switched its works partnership to McLaren, signing Senna and [Alain Prost](https://www.edgepedia.org/alain-prost). The RA168E turbo engine in Steve Nichols' MP4/4 chassis delivered 15 wins from 16 races, and Senna took his first title at Suzuka.[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) When turbos gave way to 3.5-liter naturally aspirated engines in 1989, Honda answered with the V10 RA109E; the season was defined by the Senna-Prost collision at the [Japanese Grand Prix](https://www.edgepedia.org/japanese-grand-prix), which handed Prost his third championship, but McLaren Honda still won 10 races and retained the Constructors' Championship.[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) Senna won the title again in 1990 and 1991, the latter year powered by the V12 RA121E, an engine layout Soichiro Honda had called "the most beautiful engine."[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/)
In 1992 Williams' active suspension and electronics outpaced McLaren Honda despite Honda's new V12, and Honda announced mid-season that it would conclude the program. [Gerhard Berger](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerhard-berger)'s win at the 1992 [Australian Grand Prix](https://www.edgepedia.org/australian-grand-prix), the final race, closed the second era.[6](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/) • [4](https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/world-of-honda/past/racing.html) General manager Nobuhiko Kawamoto later cited a loss of the original objective, sluggish European sales, and the collapse of the bubble economy as reasons for the withdrawal.[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) Across the second era Honda-engined teams and drivers scored 69 wins, six Constructors' titles, and five Drivers' titles.[5](https://global.honda/jp/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/2nd_Era_technology/)
## Third era: 2000 to 2008
Honda announced in March 1998 that it was discussing a return, this time planning its own team with responsibility for engines, chassis, and management.[7](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html) It instead returned as an engine supplier in 2000 with the BAR team, supplying engines and jointly developing the chassis through 2005; the third phase produced one win from 153 races.[2](https://www.formulaonehistory.com/teams/honda/) • [10](https://global.honda/en/about/history-digest/75years-history/pdf/chapter_all.pdf) In 2006 the team raced as the Honda Racing F1 Team, a full constructor for the first time since 1968.[10](https://global.honda/en/about/history-digest/75years-history/pdf/chapter_all.pdf) [Jenson Button](https://www.edgepedia.org/jenson-button)'s first Formula One victory came in this period, and after Honda withdrew at the end of 2008 the renamed [Brawn GP](https://www.edgepedia.org/brawn-gp) team, retaining Button, won six of the first seven races of 2009 and both championships.[4](https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/world-of-honda/past/racing.html)
## Fourth era: 2015 to 2021, and the 2026 return
Honda returned as a power unit supplier in 2015 with McLaren, in the era of 1.6-liter V6 turbo hybrid units combining the engine with two energy recovery systems, the MGU-K and MGU-H.[2](https://www.formulaonehistory.com/teams/honda/) • [11](https://global.honda/en/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/Powertrain_MGU-H_MGU-K/?from=Formula-1) The regulations cap the MGU-K at 120 kW output and 50,000 rpm, and the MGU-H at 125,000 rpm.[11](https://global.honda/en/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/Powertrain_MGU-H_MGU-K/?from=Formula-1) The 2015 to 2017 seasons were uncompetitive, and the McLaren partnership ended after 2017.[12](https://elpais.com/deportes/formula-1/2026-03-05/adrian-newey-asume-el-mal-inicio-de-curso-para-aston-martin-alonso-cree-no-poder-mas-de-25-vueltas-consecutivas-sin-riesgo.html) Honda then powered [Scuderia Toro Rosso](https://www.edgepedia.org/scuderia-toro-rosso) from 2018 and Red Bull from 2019, and in 2021 Max Verstappen won the World Championship with a Honda-powered Red Bull.[13](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/honda-reveal-details-around-power-unit-launch-ahead-of-full-return-to-f1.3e7uqvCV9brnWEY7Obr3te) • [14](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/every-f1-teams-engine-supplier-for-the-2026-season/10789027/)
In October 2020 Honda announced it would leave F1 after the 2021 season to redirect resources; Red Bull Powertrains took over operation of the Honda technology, and Red Bull later partnered with Ford from 2026.[15](https://as.com/motor/formula_1/la-segunda-crisis-de-honda-f202603-n/) In May 2023 Honda agreed to a works partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team to supply power units under the 2026 regulations.[16](https://global.honda/content/dam/site/global-en/newsroom/cq_img/news/2023/05/c230524eng_link.pdf) The new RA626H power unit equips the Newey-designed AMR26, which debuted in the 2026 season, and the 2026 rules require sustainable fuel while roughly tripling the electrical output of the motor and battery.[8](https://global.honda/en/F1/machine/2026_AMR26/) • [17](https://global.honda/content/dam/site/global-en/newsroom-new/cq_img/news/2026/01/c260120aeng/c260120aeng.pdf)
## References
1. [Honda F1 History, Honda Global](https://global.honda/en/F1/history/)
2. [Honda Racing, F1 Team History, formulaonehistory.com](https://www.formulaonehistory.com/teams/honda/)
3. [Entering the Automobile Market, Honda China PDF](https://en.honda.com.cn/uploads/upload/files/20250324/ac3e2bed5e5450514fae8a0192483ff9.pdf)
4. [The History of Honda Racing, Honda UK](https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/world-of-honda/past/racing.html)
5. [F1グランプリを席巻したHondaの革新的テクノロジー, Honda Global](https://global.honda/jp/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/2nd_Era_technology/)
6. [Honda and McLaren, McLaren Honda 1988-1992, Honda Global](https://global.honda/en/F1/mclaren/mclaren-and-honda/)
7. [Formula One Entry: The Second Phase / 1983, Honda Global](https://global.honda/en/heritage/episodes/1983formulaoneentry2.html)
8. [2026 AMR26, F1 Machines Powered by Honda, Honda Global](https://global.honda/en/F1/machine/2026_AMR26/)
9. [Honda 1964-1968, Honda Global](https://global.honda/jp/F1/HONDA1964-1968/)
10. [75 Years of Honda History References, Honda Global PDF](https://global.honda/en/about/history-digest/75years-history/pdf/chapter_all.pdf)
11. [Evolution of Hybrid Technologies (MGU-H, MGU-K) 2015 to 2022, Honda Global](https://global.honda/en/tech/motorsports/Formula-1/Powertrain_MGU-H_MGU-K/?from=Formula-1)
12. [Adrian Newey on Aston Martin's 2026 start, El País](https://elpais.com/deportes/formula-1/2026-03-05/adrian-newey-asume-el-mal-inicio-de-curso-para-aston-martin-alonso-cree-no-poder-mas-de-25-vueltas-consecutivas-sin-riesgo.html)
13. [Honda reveal details around power unit launch ahead of full return to F1, Formula1.com](https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/honda-reveal-details-around-power-unit-launch-ahead-of-full-return-to-f1.3e7uqvCV9brnWEY7Obr3te)
14. [Every F1 team's engine supplier for the 2026 season, Motorsport.com](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/every-f1-teams-engine-supplier-for-the-2026-season/10789027/)
15. [La segunda crisis de Honda, AS](https://as.com/motor/formula_1/la-segunda-crisis-de-honda-f202603-n/)
16. [Honda to Participate in F1 2026, Honda Global newsroom PDF](https://global.honda/content/dam/site/global-en/newsroom/cq_img/news/2023/05/c230524eng_link.pdf)
17. [Honda commitment to take on new challenges in the new era for F1, Honda Global PDF](https://global.honda/content/dam/site/global-en/newsroom-new/cq_img/news/2026/01/c260120aeng/c260120aeng.pdf)
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