Honda to mark 500 F1 races at United States Grand Prix

Honda will mark its 500th Formula One race involvement at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, with Aston Martin carrying commemorative branding on both cars.

Aston Martin confirmed that the AMR26 cars driven by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will feature a special Honda500 logo at the Circuit of the Americas. Honda race engineers working alongside the team will wear uniforms bearing the same design.

The milestone recognises a history that began at the 1964 German Grand Prix and has included periods as a factory constructor, engine supplier and power unit manufacturer.

Austin celebrations

Aston Martin and Honda personnel are scheduled to gather in the pit lane on Friday morning for a commemorative photograph. Alonso and Stroll will be joined by Lawrence Stroll and Adrian Newey.

The celebration comes during Honda’s partnership with Aston Martin, whose cars use the Japanese manufacturer’s RA626H power unit this season.

Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, paid tribute to the people and organisations involved across Honda’s different eras in the championship.

“Since Honda first entered F1 in 1964, the company has experienced countless challenges, setbacks and moments of triumph on the world’s highest stage of motorsport,” he said.

He thanked supporters, partners and drivers, as well as Aston Martin, describing the current partnership as a new challenge for the manufacturer.

From a factory team to championship-winning supplier

Honda initially competed with a car and engine developed in-house. Its first victory came at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix with the RA272, a year after its championship debut. That first factory-team chapter continued until 1968.

The company returned as an engine supplier in 1983. Williams Honda won the Constructors’ Championship in 1986, followed by both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles in 1987.

McLaren Honda then won both championships for four consecutive seasons from 1988 to 1991, establishing another successful chapter in the manufacturer’s racing history.

Honda’s next period of involvement began in 2000 with BAR, supplying engines and jointly developing the chassis. Jacques Villeneuve and Jenson Button were among the drivers who raced for the team during that partnership. Honda subsequently operated a full factory team again from 2006 to 2008.

A new chapter with Aston Martin

Honda returned with McLaren in 2015 before later working with Red Bull. That partnership contributed to Max Verstappen’s 2021 Drivers’ Championship with Red Bull Racing Honda.

Its role changed in 2022, when Honda Racing Corporation began providing technical support to Red Bull Powertrains. The Aston Martin partnership now adds another distinct phase to Honda’s involvement in the sport.

Looking beyond the Austin celebrations, Watanabe said Honda and HRC would continue their Formula One challenge, “striving to bring dreams and excitement to fans around the world”.