Following earlier news that it was expected to do so, Honda has officially announced its return to Formula 1 beginning from the 2015 season, striking up a partnership with McLaren in which it will supply engines to the latter. The automaker made the announcement yesterday evening in Tokyo.
The alliance will see Honda being in charge of the development, manufacture and supply of the power unit, including the engine and energy recovery system, while McLaren will be in charge of the development and manufacture of the chassis as well as the management of the team, which will be known as McLaren Honda.
The two names will be hoping to recreate the success of their involvement in the late 80s to the early 90s, in which four constructors championships and four driver’s titles were bagged.
“The new F1 regulations with their significant environmental focus will inspire even greater development of our own advanced technologies and this is central to our participation in F1. Together with McLaren, one of the most distinguished F1 constructors, Honda will mark a new beginning in our challenges in F1,” said Honda president and CEO Takanobu Ito.
“The names of McLaren and Honda are synonymous with success in Formula One, and, for everyone who works for both companies, the weight of our past achievements together lies heavily on our shoulders. But it’s a mark of the ambition and resolve we both share that we want once again to take McLaren Honda to the very pinnacle of Formula One success. Together we have a great legacy – and we’re utterly committed to maintaining it,” added McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh. Here’s to 2015 then.
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and please honda..please produce integra dc6 type r..
That helmet is legendary!
A tiny part in me died in Labor day of 94. He is a legend.
That helmet is not returning, and his nephew was just too slow. But without a good driver in their lineup, they may have problems winning like in the Senna/Prost/Berger days. Button (who complaints more than he drives) & Perez (who takes too much risks for a McLaren driver) are nowhere near as good as Senna/Prost on their worst days. McLaren needs good drivers. Do hope that they can get Kimi to rejoin them. That would be a great reunion of sorts.
….or they’ll find someone, another Senna maybe, who knows.
But F1 lately is more on the battle if lawyers. Safety regulation and even emission, not that they’re bad or anything but they get in the way of the thrill; it’s not all about outright speed anymore. It’s the same with almost every other Motorsport except maybe NASCAR. In Rallying, thou I am not young enough to remember the Glorious Group B days of rallying, but I remembered WRC was a wee more exciting than S2000 today. Pikes Peak is now Tarmac all the way up and Le Mans used to have a single long straight call the Mulsanne straight where cars frequent 200mph.
The last time this happen, Honda became the Japanese car maker loved by many. CRXes, NSXes and Preludes was leaving Honda’s factory gate. Hope this will spark a renaissance for Honda.
Let’s hope these two failures can combine together and make magic again.
I am sure Honda would want to ditch Jenson Button first considering the terrible time both of them had together the last time Honda was in F1.
Dun tell me Honda gonna bring the so-called famous SOHC into F1!!haha
Laugh more please, tell me which company make better NA engine than Honda. K20A easily reach 300hp without a Turbo.
hope honda will be more serious in this, and stop all the CUT-COST mind like what they did to their production car! CUT COSTed power trains, cabin material,seat material, body design, ……..etcs. WHAT a CHEAPO brand to me now!