Japanese automaker Honda announced this week that it will build a European racing operations base in Britain ahead of the factory’s return to Formula 1 in 2015. This is a follow-up to Honda stating in May that it was to return to the sport as an engine supplier to British based team McLaren in an effort to resurrect their successful championship-winning partnership.
The new facility will be built in Milton Keynes, 80km northwest of London, that will dismantle, rebuild and maintain the power units developed at Honda’s research and development centre in Japan.
Honda selected Britain because it is the ideal location, being the home of McLaren as well as many F1 suppliers.
Honda started racing in F1 as a full-fledged team in 1964, and stayed until 1968, winning two races. Success came as a supplier of engines to other teams including McLaren, Williams and Lotus, from 1983 to 1992. The McLaren-Honda alliance conquered F1 from 1988 to 1991, winning 69 races with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at the wheel.