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Honda brought one of the most iconic chapters of its Formula 1 history back to life with an event filled with nostalgia, excitement, and legacy. During the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix, the Japanese manufacturer celebrated the 60th anniversary of its first F1 victory, which took place on the same circuit in 1965, with a special on-track demonstration of the legendary RA272, driven by Yuki Tsunoda.

The historic machine —painted in its signature Championship White and sporting the number 11 used by Richie Ginther— returned to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in front of Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe and Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe. Both executives watched as Tsunoda, currently the only Japanese driver on the grid, paid tribute to the victory that marked the beginning of Japan’s presence in Formula 1.

“This RA272 demonstration is a gift for the fans, for those who love history, and for all of Japan,” Mibe told The Drive. “Our motto is The Power of Dreams, and racing is a way to move people emotionally. We want to bring joy through motorsport.”

The symbolic lap also served as a moment of transition for the brand: Honda will part ways with Red Bull Racing at the end of the 2025 season, closing a partnership that began in 2018 and produced multiple championship titles with Max Verstappen.
Starting in 2026, Honda will supply power units to the Aston Martin F1 Team, a step that Mibe described as “the natural next phase” in Honda’s competitive evolution.

“In the 1960s, competing in motorsport was unthinkable in Japan,” Mibe said. “But Soichiro Honda believed that to show our name to the world, we needed to win at the highest level. In 1965 we achieved that here, in Mexico. Sixty years later, we continue chasing the same dream.”

During the demonstration, the RA272’s V12 engine roared to 13,000 rpm, shaking the paddock. Honda mechanics dressed in period overalls handled the start-up, while Tsunoda —wearing a retro white suit and commemorative helmet— completed a lap before stopping inside the Foro Sol stadium section.

A Journalist, who witnessed the moment, told:

“The sound of the RA272 is relentless; you feel it in the air and in your chest.”

With this tribute, Honda not only honored its past but also reaffirmed its commitment to the future. Its legacy of innovation and racing passion remains stronger than ever as the brand heads toward the challenges of 2026 with Aston Martin.