Honda revs up for crossover comeback

HONDA has long been regarded as one of the most innovative and ingenious of all the motor manufacturers in the world and thus, when the company announced a return to the pinnacle of motor sport with a new hybrid Formula One engine, it was expected that the Japanese company would make an immediate and sustained impact, writes Declan Colley

Indeed, Honda’s relationship with the world of Grand Prix racing has been long and fruitful one, beginning in 1964 when it switched its on-track activities from those solely of a two wheel variety to car racing and entered Formula One as an engine and chassis manufacturer which was most unusual at the time, with Ferrari and BRM being the only other such entrants back then.

The rest of the field was made up of what Enzo Ferrari somewhat unkindly labelled “garagistas” such as Cooper, Lotus, and Brabham, who made their own chassis, but got their engines from outside suppliers.