Honda to exit F1 post 2021 season

The Japan based automotive manufacturer Honda announced on Friday its plan to discontinue its participation in the FIA Formula One World Championship as an engine supplier at the end of the 2021 season.

Its CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, stated that the decision was made at the end of September as the company was striving towards one of its many environmental initiatives, namely the “realization of carbon neutrality by 2050.”

Honda made its return to the F1 in 2015 in partnership with Red Bull Racing and with a goal to maximize their study and implementation of energy technology and overall reduction of carbon emissions.

Honda to Conclude Participation in FIA Formula One World Championship.

— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) October 2, 2020

“We understand how difficult it has been for Honda Motor Company to reach the decision to step back from Formula One at the end of the 2021 season. The shifting focus within the automotive industry has led to Honda’s decision to re-deploy their resources, and we understand and respect the reasoning behind this,” said Christian Horner, principal of Red Bull Racing team in a press statement.

As a part Honda’s focus on the core of carbon-free technologies, in April of this year, the company created a new center called Innovative Research Excellence, Power Unit & Energy.

The new center will help Honda allocate their energy management, fuel technologies and knowledge from F1 activities to drive their current goal of electrifying two-thirds of all its new cars manufactured by 2030.

Like many other manufacturers, Honda is racing to build all-electric vehicles and has its first zero-emission vehicle set to go on sale late October.

The Honda e is set to be on sale only in Japan and Europe late October as the company has stated they have no plans for marketing the car in its largest SUV dominated markets.