After 500 F1 Races, Honda Doesn’t Know When It’ll Be Back on Top. But It’s Been Here Before
The Drive ·
Like most things in life, Honda and Aston's current performance slump won't last forever. With its experience and fighting spirit, Honda can remain one of F1's most successful engines. The post After 500 F1 Races, Honda Doesn’t Know When It’ll Be Back on Top. But It’s Been Here Before appeared first on The Drive .
The air was warm and thick at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on race day, but not as bad as Friday and Saturday. Still, Honda Racing Corporation staffers looked energized on Sunday in their commemorative team kits. Why? The 2026 United States Grand Prix marked the Japanese automaker’s 500th Formula 1 race.
The tally of races and victories in a sport where a brand can represent a team or just an engine provider can be murky, but any way you slice it, Ferrari claims the most starts with over 1,000 races under its belt—every single one since the sport’s inception. Then there are Renault and Mercedes, with nearly as many entries when you count both team and engine-only appearances.
When it comes to victories, however, the list is a lot shorter. For a small Japanese company that raced only motorcycles before its F1 debut in 1964, landing in the top five in wins among power unit manufacturers is a testament to its ingenuity and determination. Only Ferrari, Mercedes, Ford-Cosworth, and Renault have won more in 76 years.
Unfortunately, in its current form, Honda power didn’t give its employees and fans worldwide much to cheer about in its 500th race. The Honda-powered Aston Martin racers of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso managed 15th and 16th on race day. However, the team has improved tremendously over the last few grands prix, largely due to chassis and aero upgrades, plus an overhauled power unit.
If there’s one thing to take away from Honda’s journey at the pinnacle of motor racing, it’s that it hasn’t been easy. It’s never had it easy—no one has. As the current (but outgoing) HRC president Koji Watanabe told me a few hours ahead of the race, Honda’s “fighting spirit” and the desire to “perform and win” are deeply ingrained in the company’s culture, and he also reminded me that it is not the first time Honda has struggled in F1. Yet, there’s always a good result at the end of every challenge.
“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,” Watanabe said. “I am delighted that Honda has now reached the significant milestone of 500 races.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to fans around the world who have supported Honda’s challenges and cheered the company on through every high and low, and to all the partners and drivers who have competed alongside Honda over the years,” he added.
From 1964 through 1968, it competed as a factory team, building its own engine and chassis and securing its first-ever F1 win in 1965 at the Mexican Grand Prix, something I’ve covered in depth . It then competed purely as an engine supplier from 1983 to 1992, securing the 1986 Constructors’ Championship with Williams, and both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships in 1987.
The golden era was arguably the McLaren-Honda partnership, steered by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost; from 1988 to 1991, Honda defined its involvement in F1 and reinforced its commitment to racing in general. A truly dominant run that earned the team and engine supplier four consecutive Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.
The BAR (British American Racing) days ran from 2000 through 2008, though it operated as an all-Honda factory team only from 2005 until it exited the sport in 2008. Following a seven-year hiatus from F1, Honda returned in 2015 as a power unit supplier—again with McLaren—for what is arguably the worst stain on an otherwise long and successful record. Even Honda and Aston’s current situation is more positive and promising than what happened with McLaren back then.
After breaking up with McLaren in 2017, Honda began what would become its most successful partnership: the Red Bull empire. In 2018, it started providing power units to Scuderia Toro Rosso, and a year later, Red Bull Racing. From 2019 through 2024, Honda supplied power units to both RB-owned teams, though from 2022 through 2025 it did so as “technical support to Red Bull Powertrains.” This delivered four Drivers’ Championships for Max Verstappen and two Constructors’ Championships.
With new HRC boss Keiichi Yasuda incoming on January 1, another chapter will begin after Watanabe’s successful presidency since 2022. Watanabe expressed confidence in Yasuda, explaining that he has extensive experience in operations and the racing division. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Representative Director of Honda Racing.
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The post After 500 F1 Races, Honda Doesn’t Know When It’ll Be Back on Top. But It’s Been Here Before appeared first on The Drive .