Honda not considering Formula E move after F1 exit

Formula E

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Honda is not considering a move into Formula E after announcing earlier today it will leave Formula 1 at the end of next year.

The Japanese car manufacturer said it is leaving F1 to focus its resources on increasing its sale of carbon-neutral vehicles, with a view to becoming fully carbon neutral by 2050.

Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo said it is not considering joining the likes of Nissan, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar and DS in the all-electric single-seater series.

“As for other electric vehicle races, we don’t have any specific plans for participating as of now,” said Hachigo in a press conference announcing their departure from F1.

“At this time we are aiming for carbon neutrality in 2050. Now, this will be a big challenge for Honda so I hope that our fans will support us for us taking on that challenge as well.”

Hachigo also indicated a return to Formula 1 in the near future is unlikely, but said the manufacturer will remain in other championships it currently participates in, such as IndyCar.

“We want to aim for 2050, realise the carbon neutrality for 2050,” he said. “So that’s where we want to place our resources toward that.

“So I am not thinking on re-participating in Formula 1. However, as I said, racing is Honda’s DNA so for other races that Honda is participating in currently we will continue that with our passion that we typically have for those races.”

“Now that we’ve decided to conclude our participation in Formula 1, we would like to promote other motorsports,” he added. “So we hope that in those other stages, we hope to be able to boost enthusiasm across Japan for the different kinds of motorsports as well in those other venues.”

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16 comments on “Honda not considering Formula E move after F1 exit”

  1. I guess this is the answer to many commenters on here who thought F1 should have moved to electric in 2014. LOL

  2. The elephant in the room.

    The announcement comes after FIA rule tweaks on PU monitoring.

    And right after the party mode ban.

    Another costly development to regain the lost power? No sir! We quit.

    1. I believe Honda said they were against engine modes that created unfair competition with loopholes and grey areas. Of course that was likely mostly aimed at Ferrari, but must have been a general feeling as well.

      Probably they just realized with Mercedes just getting more and more dominant and with development freezes and budget restrictions, there was no way they would ever be champions.

      1. @balue and yet, whilst it went somewhat under the radar at the time as the Ferrari investigation was higher profile, there were indications that Honda also had components seized for investigation by the FIA at the 2019 Brazilian GP.

        Honda was, in turn, also one of the manufacturers who argued against the introduction of the new regulations on engine modes when it was proposed earlier this season – it’s why there have been a few speculating over whether, despite Honda’s protestations about “engine modes that created unfair competition with loopholes and grey area”, Honda was experimenting with something similar in that department themselves.

  3. Honda was already behind Nissan, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, BMW & Jaguar in BEV anyway. Honda Clarity, the only BEV car they had was discontinued early this year. So yes, it’s unlikely they going to FE.

    1. Clarity was primarily a hydrogen fuel cell pilot (that had been going for over a decade, so was due at least a shake up & given hydrogen hasn’t had a big improvement in production since, well shelved at this stage) but Honda have also released the Honda E this year – which although it got a lot of criticism for pricing, I think is actually a very decent hatchback EV and at least not another flipping SUV.

      Honda are undoubtedly behind Nissan or Peugeot in terms of mass EV manufacture but the company’s persistently at least looked into EV and battery tech, putting them well ahead of the big German marques at the time dieselgate forced their hands to put together FE programmes.

      (which isn’t to say Honda are going to FE, of course, just that they have a history with EVs and that they are both making them and realigning the company to make more of them)

      1. That’s what bother me @hazelsouthwell. Honda are behind in BEV but its president saying something about FCV development. I think they should now realize FCV is not viable and try to catch up with other BEV maker that already gives us various BEV car of the year other than Tesla.

  4. Hypercars in WEC should be interesting.

  5. I would like to hear their definition of “carbon neutral”. All of Honda, their cars manufacture, the generation of the electricity or hydrogen to run them? The disposal of old cars and batteries, the mining for rare earths?

    All of the above?

    No, it’s just another marketing slogan. Or an excuse to yet again dib out of a partnership in F1.

  6. 2050? Honda why so soon?

    1. @ivan-vinitskyy actually, it’s not that ambitious – Volvo and Daimler intend to become carbon neutral over a decade before Honda plans to (2040 and 2039 respectively for those two companies).

  7. someone or something
    2nd October 2020, 13:37

    But what about GP2? I hear they’d be a great fit.

    1. This made me laugh. Well done.

  8. Per Ted Klaus HPD President, “we’re going to focus on IndyCar and sports car racing on behalf of Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports”.

  9. MB (@muralibhats)
    3rd October 2020, 13:52

    Honda leaving F1 for whatever reason doesn’t make sense if they are still involved in Indycar.

    1. Supplying engines to IndyCar teams is considerably cheaper than doing so in F1. Honda-powered IndyCars have won seven races so far in 2020 … and they are leading both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships!

      The Honda F1 budget is much larger, and they have won two races ….

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