Honda wants to withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 season

The Japanese manufacturer, which only returned to sport in 2015, said in a statement that it would instead use its resources for “the future achievement of CO2 neutrality”.

A Honda-powered Aston Martin Red Bull Racing F1 car. Image: @ redbullracing / Twitter

PARIS – Honda said on Friday that it would be pulling out of Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 season.

The Japanese manufacturer, which only returned to sport in 2015, said in a statement that it would instead devote its resources to “achieving carbon neutrality in the future”.

Honda completes participation in the FIA ​​Formula 1 World Championship

– Honda Racing F1 (@ HondaRacingF1) October 2, 2020

Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal, said: “The shift in focus within the automotive industry has led to Honda’s decision to redeploy its resources and we understand and respect the reasons behind this.

“Your decision presents us as a team with obvious challenges, but we have been here before and with our strength in depth we are well prepared and equipped to respond effectively, as we have proven in the past.”

The decision leaves Red Bull looking for a new engine supplier, a situation that needs to be resolved quickly in order to prevent the sought-after Dutch driver Max Verstappen from looking for a new challenge with another team.

Honda’s glory years in Formula 1 came in the 1980s with McLaren and the crucial rivalry of that time between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, who each spent five years on the team.

The change to team ownership between 2006 and 2008 largely ended in failure as Jenson Button recorded a single win at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Honda later left the sport and returned in 2015, but fought with McLaren for three years.

The company turned its attention to the Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso for 2018 and then Red Bull for 2019 and has won a total of five races in the past two years.

But they couldn’t challenge Mercedes, who this season have tightened their stranglehold on the sport.

Because of Honda’s decision, Formula 1 relies on three engine manufacturers – Renault, Mercedes and Ferrari.

The Japanese giant’s commitment to new technologies also underscores the dilemma facing the sport as it seeks to meet the challenge of developing the broader auto industry towards more environmentally friendly solutions.

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