McLaren and Honda’s public farewell continued at the Japanese manufacturer’s annual ‘thanks day’, which featured appearances from McLaren drivers and classic McLaren-Honda F1 cars at the Motegi circuit..
Current driver Stoffel Vandoorne and outgoing racer Jenson Button were among those who attended. The pair lapped the track in a 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4-4 V6 turbo and 1991 McLaren-Honda MP4-6 V12.
Also present was former F1 driver Takuma Sato who showed off the Borg-Warner trophy he won at this year’s Indianapolis 500 in a Dallara-Honda. Fernando Alonso, who also drove at Indianapolis this year, did not attend.
Pierre Gasly, who drove for Honda in the Japanese Super Formula championship this year, also attended the event.
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Gerulf Dösinger (@)
3rd December 2017, 14:09
I guess you meant 1988 – second paragraph :)
Paul F (@)
3rd December 2017, 14:26
I wish the deal had worked, but I’m also glad it’s over. So sad to see a great old team with so many DNF and out of the points finishes.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:15
@zapski +1.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
3rd December 2017, 14:27
In before the Thanks for NOTHING Day jokes. :P
Trayambak Chakravarty (@major-dev)
3rd December 2017, 18:11
+1 HAHA!
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:16
@proesterchen +1.
Hugh (@hugh11)
3rd December 2017, 14:47
Did they not drive any of the McLaren-Honda’s from the last 3 years? I’m shocked!
Phylyp (@phylyp)
3rd December 2017, 14:51
@hugh11 – they probably needed cars that could complete a full lap of the circuit ;-)
Ivan (@wpinrui)
3rd December 2017, 15:17
@hugh11 They did! Can’t you see the top left picture in the gallery?? Oh wait, my bad. I saw a cloud of smoke and assumed it was the MCL32
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:19
@hugh11 +1.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
3rd December 2017, 14:50
It would have been nice if Alonso had attended, after having (deservedly) lambasted Honda all these years. It would have been an empty gesture, but symbolic nonetheless.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
3rd December 2017, 16:05
I thought it was fitting he didn’t attend. We don’t know how much of Honda’s problems and poor performance were brought on by McLaren. For example, I read somewhere McLaren had changed their fuel supplier just before the start of this season, and that this could easily have impaired the performance of the Honda engine.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:17
@phylyp @drycrust +1.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
3rd December 2017, 15:37
Love how they actually leave the cars in original condition. Not all those Cars at the MTC or the old Ferraris.
C
3rd December 2017, 17:37
These old classics are kept at museums of respective manufacturers are a part of racing history so it’s vital they are kept in original condition. I doubt though Mclaren-hondas of last 3 years will get the same treatment.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
3rd December 2017, 16:11
I think the RA300 is what an open wheel car should look like.
Gabriel (@rethla)
3rd December 2017, 18:31
Its sad Honda never got to shine with Mclaren and with the new engine regulations comming in they probably wont spend any time fixing up their engine next year either so poor Toro Rosso. Lets hope they dont jump ship after that, F1 needs more diversity.
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:18
@rethla +1.
BigJoe
3rd December 2017, 18:40
Has the Honda F1 team from the late 00s that finished 8th and 9th in the constructers been totally wiped from history?
Jere (@jerejj)
3rd December 2017, 20:18
@BigJoe +1.