Honda heads home
This week, the Honda Racing F1 Team heads straight from Shanghai across the East China Sea to Japan for the penultimate race of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship – Round 17, the Japanese Grand Prix, held at the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit on Honshu Island.
Built by Honda as a test circuit in 1962, Suzuka is a legendary drivers’ circuit which has managed to retain much of its challenging layout, despite recent modifications. This year’s Japanese Grand Prix will mark the 20th race that Suzuka has hosted since Formula One first came to the circuit in 1987.
As the Chinese Grand Prix was the second of the two-race cycle for both drivers’ V8 powerplants, Honda will bring to Japan its latest specification ‘Suzuka Special’ engine, a recent tradition for the company. “We will be introducing our upgraded Suzuka Special engine, which will be the culmination of all our development work on the V8 unit,” confirms Senior Technical Director Shuhei Nakamoto. “At our last test in Jerez, we also introduced a new aero package and further mechanical developments, which will be the baseline for the chassis set-up work at Suzuka.”
Aside from hoping to capitalise with the technical improvements that the team brings to Japan, Honda will also be aiming to delight its many fans and colleagues visiting the race with a strong on-track performance. “The Honda Racing F1 Team heads home to Japan in good heart,” says Nakamoto. “This will be our team’s second home race of the season and the support of the Japanese fans makes it a place we always look forward to visiting. It would be great to win at Suzuka and sing the national anthem with the fans in the grandstand!”
Honda in Japan
Japan is the homeland of Honda Motor Company and the birthplace of its founder, Soichiro Honda. Mr Honda started his company in a small factory in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka in 1948. Renowned from the outset for its exquisite engineering, the ensuing 58 years have seen the company grow to become a global force, employing more than 140,000 people.
The Japanese headquarters of Honda plays a key role in the development of advanced technologies and the co-ordination of the global business to produce optimal performance. Honda R&D is responsible for key technological research and product development, in co-operation with its international subsidiaries to strengthen Honda’s global competitive edge in progressive technologies.
Numerous Honda developments are ‘made in Japan’ including the development of global vehicle platforms for increased local production. Honda also encourages the localisation of production through support of improved manufacturing expertise in local factories.
In addition to Suzuka, Honda also owns the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, situated to the north of Tokyo. Twin Ring Motegi boasts international class oval and road circuits, which, among other races, host rounds of the IRL and MotoGP championships. It is also home to the Honda Collection Hall, which houses approximately 350 products and racing machines from Honda's history.
