Honda will be the title sponsor of the Grand Prix of Japan 2022
The name Honda is already back in Formula 1, as the title sponsor of the Japanese Grand Prix 2022. Perhaps winning the world title in 2021 has sparked some desires again...
On October 9th, Suzuka will make its return to Formula 1. Absent since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the legendary Japanese Grand Prix has been missed by many fans, and if the situation remains as it is, there are only 5 months left to wait before the pinnacle of motorsports returns to Japanese soil.
And for the return of Formula 1 to Suzuka, Honda will also be part of the event. After officially leaving F1 last season, the Japanese engine manufacturer will be present for the Japanese Grand Prix as the title sponsor.
It is initially information of little importance, but it could say a lot about Honda’s ongoing interest in Formula 1. While Red Bull and AlphaTauri still use its engines, rebranded as Red Bull Powertrains, Honda may not be completely uninterested in the idea of a potential return as an engine supplier.
Earlier in the year, Masashi Yamamoto, the general manager of Honda in F1, admitted that the brand may have left the category too early. « Personally, yes, I agree. But it is obviously a decision of the company and I understand what it wants to do. We have to accept it. »
Yamamoto then left the door open for Honda to return to Formula 1. « We still have imagination, so we hope that one day Honda will come back to F1. »
For now, Honda only has a simple sponsorship contract with its national Grand Prix. However, this proves that the Japanese motor manufacturer isn’t straying too far from Formula 1, just one year after its official withdrawal.
