Editing Honda (section)

==Motorsports==
{{main|Honda in motorsport}}
{{see also|Honda Racing Corporation|Honda Racing Corporation USA}}

Honda has been active in motorsports, like [[Formula One]], [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] and others, since the early years of the company. Since 2022, Honda's general motorsport activities have been managed by its motorsport subsidiary [[Honda Racing Corporation]] (HRC). Prior to 2022, Honda's motorcycle racing activities were run by HRC since it was founded in 1982, while its automobile racing activities were run as projects within the Honda Motor Company itself.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-10 |title=Interview with Koji Watanabe, President of HRC |url=https://honda.racing/post/2023-koji-watanabe-interview |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Honda.Racing |language=en-US}}</ref>

Honda Performance Development (HPD) was established in 1993 as the company's North American motorsport subsidiary, and for 2024 HPD became [[Honda Racing Corporation USA]] (HRC US) to form a global motorsports organization.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-19 |title=Honda Racing Corporation USA Launches |url=http://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-racing/releases/honda-racing-corporation-usa-launches |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Honda Racing Newsroom |language=en}}</ref> Honda also owns two Japanese [[race track]]s, the [[Suzuka Circuit]] and [[Mobility Resort Motegi]] (formerly Twin Ring Motegi), which it established in 1962 and 1997, respectively, and which are managed by [[Honda Mobilityland]].

===Automobiles===
{{See also|Honda in Formula One}}
[[File:FIA F1 Austria 2021 Nr. 33 Verstappen.jpg|thumb|right|[[Max Verstappen]] won the [[2021 Formula One World Championship]] with a Honda power unit.]]

Honda entered [[Formula One]] for the first time in [[1964 Formula One season|1964]], just one year after starting the production of road cars, making both engine and chassis. Honda achieved their first victory at the [[1965 Mexican Grand Prix]], and another win at the [[1967 Italian Grand Prix]], before they withdrew after the [[1968 Formula One season|1968 season]]. They returned to the sport in [[1983 Formula One World Championship|1983]] as an engine manufacturer, remaining until [[1992 Formula One World Championship|1992]]. This period saw Honda dominate Grand Prix racing,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Formula for Success: The Honda RA168E|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1990/80/formula-for-success-the-honda-ra168e|access-date=2021-12-23|website=Motor Sport Magazine|date=7 July 2014 |language=en-GB}}</ref> as between [[1986 Formula One World Championship|1986]] and [[1991 Formula One World Championship|1991]] they won five consecutive Drivers' Championships with [[Nelson Piquet]], [[Ayrton Senna]] and [[Alain Prost]], and six Constructors' titles with [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]] and [[McLaren]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Engine Honda • STATS F1|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/moteur-honda.aspx|access-date=2021-12-23|website=www.statsf1.com}}</ref> A third stint from [[2000 Formula One World Championship|2000]] to [[2008 Formula One World Championship|2008]], initially as engine maker and later also as team owner, yielded 17 podiums, including one win, and second place in the [[2004 Formula One World Championship|2004]] constructors' standings. They returned as a power unit supplier for the second year of the hybrid era in [[2015 Formula One World Championship|2015]] and initially struggled, but intense development saw them become race winners again by [[2019 Formula One World Championship|2019]], and in [[2021 Formula One World Championship|2021]] they won the World Drivers' Championship with [[Max Verstappen]] and [[Red Bull Racing]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-13|title=Honda Wins F1 Championship in Its Final Season|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2021121200336/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=nippon.com|language=en|archive-date=13 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213075303/https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2021121200336/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Honda formally left Formula One after 2021 to focus its resources on [[Carbon neutrality|carbon neutral]] technologies, but an arrangement was made for it to extend power unit supply for Red Bull until 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honda and Red Bull extend power unit support deal until 2025 {{!}} Formula 1® |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-honda-and-red-bull-extend-power-unit-support-deal-until-2025.7hFIkY4W18FcmxNlWnB2ST.html |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.formula1.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Honda to leave F1 at the end of 2021 {{!}} Formula 1®|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-honda-to-leave-f1-at-the-end-of-2021.3nsZ7zzaokaze5Sjc4V6s0.html|access-date=2021-12-23|website=www.formula1.com|language=en}}</ref> As the series introduced more sustainable regulations, Honda announced it will formally rejoin in 2026 to provide power units to [[Aston Martin in Formula One|Aston Martin]] as a works team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Honda to make full-scale F1 return in 2026 as they join forces with Aston Martin {{!}} Formula 1® |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-honda-to-make-full-scale-f1-return-in-2026-as-they-join-forces-with.WlzHSedIbSrZpXEXdC5QQ.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.formula1.com |language=en}}</ref>

Honda debuted in the [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART IndyCar World Series]] as an engine supplier in [[1994 PPG Indy Car World Series|1994]], and the company won six consecutive Drivers' Championships and four Manufacturers' Championships between [[1996 PPG Indy Car World Series|1996]] and [[2001 CART season|2001]].<ref name="IndyCar.com">{{Cite web|title=Honda|url=https://www.indycar.com/Fan-Info/INDYCAR-101/The-Car-Dallara/Honda|access-date=2021-12-23|website=IndyCar.com|archive-date=23 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223213330/https://www.indycar.com/Fan-Info/INDYCAR-101/The-Car-Dallara/Honda|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2003, Honda transferred its effort to the IRL IndyCar Series. In [[2004 IndyCar Series|2004]], Honda won the [[Indianapolis 500]] for the first time and claimed the Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championships, a feat which it repeated in [[2005 IndyCar Series|2005]].<ref name="IndyCar.com" /> From [[2006 IndyCar Series|2006]] to [[2011 IndyCar Series|2011]], Honda was the series' lone manufacturer, before manufacturer competition returned for [[2012 IndyCar Series|2012]]. Since 2012, Honda's turbocharged V6 engines have won the Indianapolis 500 several times as well as claimed multiple Drivers' and Manufacturers' titles.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-20|title=Honda clinches IndyCar manufacturers' title in Monterey|url=https://racer.com/2021/09/20/honda-clinches-indycar-manufacturers-title-in-monterey/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=RACER|language=en-US}}</ref> In the Japanese [[Super Formula Championship]], Honda-powered cars have won the championship numerous times since 1981, with their title tally in the double digits. In [[Formula Two]], Honda engines dominated the premier series in 1966 and scored multiple titles in the early 1980s.

In [[sports car racing]], Honda won the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in [[1995 24 Hours of Le Mans|1995]] in the GT2 class,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kunimitsu Takahashi Honoured By Japanese Government For Lifelong Sporting Achievements {{!}} dailysportscar.com|url=http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/07/30/kunimitsu-takahashi-honoured-by-japanese-government-for-lifelong-sporting-achievements.html|access-date=2021-12-23|website=www.dailysportscar.com|archive-date=12 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312085252/https://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/07/30/kunimitsu-takahashi-honoured-by-japanese-government-for-lifelong-sporting-achievements.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and in [[2010 24 Hours of Le Mans|2010]] and [[2012 24 Hours of Le Mans|2012]] they won in the LMP2 category.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japan at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1991-2021 [1/2]|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/japan-at-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-1991-2021-1-2-55719|access-date=2021-12-23|website=24h-lemans.com|language=en}}</ref> Honda made their factory debut in the [[Super GT|Super GT Series]] (previously known as the [[All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship|All-Japan GT Championship]]) in [[1997 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship|1997]], and in [[2000 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship|2000]] they won their first championships.<ref name="www.dailysportscar.com">{{Cite web|title=Honda's History In GT500, In Pictures {{!}} dailysportscar.com|url=http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/12/27/hondas-history-in-gt500-in-pictures.html|access-date=2021-12-23|website=www.dailysportscar.com|archive-date=5 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805232613/http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/12/27/hondas-history-in-gt500-in-pictures.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since then, they have won several further titles, uniquely with both mid- and front-engined cars.<ref name="www.dailysportscar.com" /> Through their [[Acura]] and [[Honda Performance Development|HPD]] divisions, Honda has also competed in [[sports prototype]] racing, beginning with the Spice-Acura prototypes that won the [[IMSA GT Championship|IMSA GT]] Lights championship in [[1991 IMSA GT Championship|1991]], [[1992 IMSA GT Championship|1992]] and [[1993 IMSA GT Championship|1993]]. Acura joined the [[American Le Mans Series]] in [[2007 American Le Mans Series|2007]] and won the [[12 Hours of Sebring]] in class on their debut, before winning the championship in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes in [[2009 American Le Mans Series|2009]]. The cars were rebranded as HPDs for [[2010 American Le Mans Series|2010]], after which they won multiple titles in the ALMS and also won the [[FIA World Endurance Championship]] in the LMP2 class. Acura returned to prototype racing in [[2018 IMSA SportsCar Championship|2018]] in the DPi class of the [[IMSA SportsCar Championship]], winning championship titles in [[2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship|2019]], [[2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship|2020]] and [[2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship|2022]] as well as the [[24 Hours of Daytona]] overall in [[2021 24 Hours of Daytona|2021]], [[2022 24 Hours of Daytona|2022]], and [[2023 24 Hours of Daytona|2023]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-14|title=INSIGHT: How WTR is unlocking the full potential of Acura's DPi|url=https://racer.com/2021/09/14/insight-how-wtr-is-unlocking-the-full-potential-of-acuras-dpi/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=RACER|language=en-US}}</ref> Honda's [[Group GT3|GT3]] car won both the [[IMSA SportsCar Championship|IMSA GTD]] and [[Super GT|Super GT GT300]] titles.<ref>{{Cite news |title=MSR Closes Out Four-Year Run With Acura NSX GT3 – Sportscar365|url=https://sportscar365.com/imsa/iwsc/msr-closes-four-year-run-with-acura-nsx-gt3/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=sportscar365.com|date=21 November 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=ARTA win Super GT titles with NSX GT3 Evo|url=https://www.jasmotorsport.com/news/arta-win-super-gt-titles-with-nsx-gt3-evo|access-date=2021-12-23|website=JAS Motorsport}}</ref>

During the [[Group A]] era of the [[Japanese Touring Car Championship]], Honda won seven manufacturers' titles and six drivers' titles in the sub-1,600 cc division between 1986 and [[1993 Japanese Touring Car Championship|1993]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Honda {{!}} Honda Racing Gallery {{!}} その他 {{!}} MOTUL 無限 CIVIC|url=http://www.honda.co.jp/Racing/gallery/1987_3/01/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=Honda公式ホームページ|language=ja}}</ref> The following [[Super Touring]] era of [[touring car racing]] saw Honda win the Japanese and [[North American Touring Car Championship|North American]] championships in 1996 and 1997, while in Europe Honda's Super Touring cars claimed over 40 wins across the [[British Touring Car Championship|British]], [[Super Tourenwagen Cup|German]] and [[European Touring Car Championship|European]] series. After the collapse of the Super Touring regulations in the early 2000s, Honda remained involved in the British Touring Car Championship, where their cars would win multiple championships in the mid-2000s and throughout the 2010s. Honda entered the [[World Touring Car Championship]] in late [[2012 World Touring Car Championship|2012]], and in [[2013 World Touring Car Championship|2013]] they won the Manufacturers' World Championship. Honda's [[TCR Touring Car|TCR]] car won the global [[TCR Touring Car#TCR Model of the Year|TCR Model of the Year]] award in 2019, 2020, and 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-23|title=Honda Civic Type R named TCR 'Model of the Year'|url=https://www.touringcartimes.com/2020/12/23/honda-civic-type-r-named-tcr-model-year/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=TouringCarTimes|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Motorcycles===
[[File:Dani Pedrosa 2010 Assen.jpg|thumb|right|[[Honda RC212V]] raced by [[Dani Pedrosa]]]]

HRC combines participation in motorcycle races throughout the world with the development of high-potential racing machines. Its racing activities are an important source for the creation of leading-edge technologies used in the development of Honda motorcycles. HRC also contributes to the advancement of motorcycle sports through a range of activities that include sales of production racing motorcycles, support for satellite teams, and rider education programs.

Soichiro Honda, being a race driver himself, could not stay out of international [[motorsport]]. In 1959, Honda entered five motorcycles into the [[Isle of Man TT]] race, the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world. While always having powerful engines, it took until 1961 for Honda to tune their chassis well enough to allow [[Mike Hailwood]] to claim their first [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|Grand Prix]] victories in the 125 and 250&nbsp;[[Cubic centimetre|cc]] classes. Hailwood would later pick up their first Senior TT wins in 1966 and [[1967 Isle of Man TT|1967]]. Honda's race bikes were known for their "sleek & stylish design" and exotic engine configurations, such as the 5-cylinder, 22,000&nbsp;rpm, 125&nbsp;cc bike and their 6-cylinder 250&nbsp;cc and 297&nbsp;cc bikes.

In 1979, Honda returned to [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing]] with the [[monocoque]]-framed, [[four-stroke engine|four-stroke]] [[Honda NR500|NR500]]. The [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]] rules limited engines to four cylinders, so the NR500 had non-circular, 'race-track', cylinders, each with 8 valves and two connecting rods, in order to provide sufficient valve area to compete with the dominant [[two-stroke engine|two-stroke]] racers. The experiment failed. For the 1982 season, Honda debuted its first two-stroke race bike, the NS500 and in {{MGP|1983}}, Honda won their first 500&nbsp;cc [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|Grand Prix]] World Championship with [[Freddie Spencer]]. Since then, Honda has become a dominant marque in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, winning a plethora of top-level titles with riders such as [[Mick Doohan]] and [[Valentino Rossi]]. Honda also head the number of wins at the [[Isle of Man TT]] having notched up 227 victories in the solo classes and [[Sidecar TT]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Machines.aspx?marq_Name=Honda&filter=H|title=Machine Profile – Honda|work=IOMTT.com|publisher=Duke Marketing Ltd.|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> including [[Ian Hutchinson (motorcycle racer)|Ian Hutchinson]]'s clean sweep at the [[2010 Isle of Man TT|2010 races]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Competitors.aspx?ride_id=8379&filter=H|title=Competitor Profile: Ian Hutchinson|work=IOMTT.com|publisher=Duke Marketing Ltd.|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref>

The outright lap record on the [[Snaefell Mountain Course]] was held by Honda, set at the 2015 TT by [[John McGuinness (motorcycle racer)|John McGuinness]] at an average speed of {{convert|132.701|mph|abbr=on}} on a [[Honda CBR1000RR]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/TT-Records.aspx|title=Isle of Man TT Records|work=IOMTT.com|publisher=Duke Marketing Ltd.|access-date=3 May 2016}}</ref> bettered the next year by [[Michael Dunlop]] on a [[BMW S1000RR]] at {{convert|133.962|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref>[https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/TT-Records/Lap-Records.aspx Current Isle of Man TT lap records] IOM TT database, Official website, Retrieved 1 September 2017</ref>

In the [[Motocross World Championship]], Honda has claimed seventeen world championships. In the [[World Enduro Championship]], Honda has captured eight titles, most recently with [[Stefan Merriman]] in 2003 and with [[Mika Ahola]] from 2007 to 2010. In [[motorcycle trials]], Honda has claimed three world championships with Belgian rider [[Eddy Lejeune]].