Why Honda's latest Formula 1 exit means it may never come back

By:

Jonathan Noble

Oct 3, 2020, 3:47 PM

Honda is no stranger to pulling out of Formula 1 before usually returning after a lengthy hiatus. But, as JONATHAN NOBLE explains, there might not be a next time as the Japanese manufacturer's ambitions lie outside of grand prix racing

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It's a universal truth of Formula 1 that manufacturers come and go. With the exception of Ferrari, which has competed in every world championship season, other car makers have flitted in and out over the years.

Whether it is current competitors like Mercedes and Renault, or long gone companies like Ford, BMW, Lotus and Toyota, being a member of the grand prix gang or being outside it has been part of the ebb and flow of any company wanting to sell cars. In that context, Honda's announcement that it is leaving at the end of 2021, can be seen as nothing more than simply bringing to a close its fourth era in the championship.

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Jonathan Noble

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Jonathan Noble is Motorsport.com’s Formula 1 editor. Having graduated from University of Sussex Jonathan worked for sports news agency Collings Sports reporting on F1, F3, touring cars and other sports, with articles appearing in The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Reuters, Autosport and other publications. In 1999 he moved to Haymarket Publishing to become a senior editor at Autosport Special Projects, and one year later he became Autosport’s grand prix editor. In 2015 he moved to Motorsport Network, becoming the F1 editor for Motorsport.com. He is also a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and sits on the FIA Media Council.