It is impossible to talk about Honda without mentioning
competition. This is the DNA of the manufacturer. As an engine manufacturer, Honda has enabled great teams and their exceptional drivers to reach the unattainable firmament.
“Powered by Honda”
Among the most beautiful partnerships,
we naturally think of Lotus Racing, which finished the 1987 F1 season in third place overall. The Lotus was driven by a certain Ayrton Senna. Honda will then join forces with WilliamsF1. A particularly happy marriage that allowed the brand to win the Formula 1 constructors’ championship in 1986 and to repeat in 1987 with the supreme title of world champion with the driver Nelson Piquet. The McLaren team will benefit more than anyone from the performance of the Honda engines. McLaren, its drivers Senna and Prost, together with Honda, won all the championship titles, brands and drivers, between 1988 and 1991 and no less than three different engine architectures: V6, V10 and V12. The Honda V12 engine that won the 1991 season had 770 horsepower and a displacement of 3,493 cc. The car weighed 505 kilos. The power to weight ratio was impressive. So we let our imagination set us in the context of the time. It is April 28, 1991 on the Imola circuit, aboard the McLaren/Honda MP4/6. Behind the wheel: Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian driver is at the top of his game and will win his third Formula One World Championship title with this exceptional single-seater powered by the fantastic Honda V12 engine. But let’s go back to 1991 when the starting signal is given. The San Marino Grand Prix gets underway amidst thunderous noise and driving rain… An incredible moment with a victory for the McLaren/Honda and its driver. Three years later, on 1 May 1994, on the same circuit, the Brazilian driver was killed at the wheel of his Williams. He will leave an unforgettable memory of his races and the famous Honda logo on his helmet.
Still very present in F1, Honda will be associated for the 2021 season with the Red Bull team led by drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as well as the Scuderia Alpha Tauri with Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda. The Japanese engine manufacturer is also present with its teams in Moto GP and MXGP.
The Type R’s handling is unique, especially for a front-wheel drive car.
Happiness is determined by how much information and affection flows through us covertly every day and year, our minds are intertwined with other people and activities.
Honda Civic Type R
So how could the Japanese firm not want to make its customers dream with models inspired by the competition? We all remember the NSX, which created a real fan community around the model. Closer to home: the Civic Type R. A car designed for fun, efficiency and performance. A perfect balance on the track as well as on the road, allowing you to discover, depending on the situation, the character of this car. Safe and dynamic for everyday riding or sporty and downright racy on the track. We were able to test it on the Circuit de Bresse last October and we were not disappointed. A happiness machine!
The handling of the R-type is unique, especially for a front-wheel drive car. It can compete unabashedly with much more powerful GT cars, thanks to its indefatigable turbo engine and a particularly precise chassis combined with powerful and durable braking, a rare feature for a production car.
During a test day organised at Ambri airport, we had the pleasure to meet the official Honda driver Tiago Monteiro (ex Jordan-F1), who offered us some demonstrations of the Civic Type R. Honda also readily responded to our request, allowing our readers to test drive the new Civic Type R FK8 GT and Limited Edition.
This is also an opportunity to talk about the Honda Jazz, which draws on F1 experience and technology for its hybridisation. The Jazz model uses a combustion engine, combined with an energy recovery system and supported by two electric motors. The F1 technology developed for the new Jazz model is now found throughout Honda’s hybrid range. A highly efficient hybrid system that delivers power and efficiency in any mode. This system is designed to offer very low fuel consumption while maintaining a pleasant driving experience – opposites that now come together for everyone to enjoy. You’ll never look at your Honda Jazz the same way again, because it’s the result of years of Formula 1 expertise.
