With the recent announcement of Honda’s Motorsport strategy for 2013 also reveals a large gaping hole in their racing program that has yet to be filled since 2008, and that’s their lack of participation in Formula 1. Ever since the Global economic crisis, Honda was forced to cut their Formula 1 racing team after only finishing 8th out of 11 teams despite having one the largest budgets (398 million) in the series.
Now with the recent announcement that Formula 1 will be using a 1.6 liter V6 engine supplemented by a turbocharger, racing in Formula 1 looks a little affordable and attractive to Honda’s return according to Honda’s head of R&D Yoshihara Yamamoto. In a recent interview with AutoCar, Yoshihara Yamamoto stated how,
“On a personal level I love racing, but there is a lot involved when you are in F1 – it is the very top of auto racing and that requires a large commitment.But it is true that we do look up at those races and hope that one day we can take part again. I do not personally think we can just go straight back immediately, but there is potential for the rules to change and attract us.I follow the rules, certainly, and if they present an opportunity then it would be nice to go back.This is my personal view – not that of Honda – but I feel the first thing we must do is win in the WTCC, and then perhaps we can look further afield.”
Now this is all speculation, but coinciding with reports that Rubens Barrichello (once a Honda driver) is not ruling out a return to Formula One as well as Takuma Sato ( A graduate of Honda’s Suzuka racing school and Honda Formula 1 racer back with Super Aguri) returning to Japan for there Formula Nippon series, is there a hint of a 2014 team fielded by veteran drivers Rubens Barrichello and Takuma Sato in the air? It’s just my feeling and is just a long shot possibility.
It’s a fact that many of the hire-ups in Honda miss racing in Formula 1, but if they return, they must be competitive, efficient with there budget and come with an attitude to win, and no less.
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