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Honda set to reach 500 F1 entries at United States Grand Prix
Honda will become the fifth engine manufacturer to record 500 Formula 1 race entries when the United States Grand Prix begins in Austin.
Honda is set to reach 500 Formula 1 race entries at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, joining four other engine manufacturers to have passed the milestone. The mark will come at the Circuit of the Americas, where Honda is competing with Aston Martin in its latest grand prix programme.
Honda made its first Formula 1 entry at the 1964 German Grand Prix. Its 500th entry in Austin will not, however, be its 500th race start: one event remains absent from its start tally because of the 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.
Indianapolis remains the gap between entries and starts
Honda was among the Michelin teams that returned to the pits at the end of the formation lap at Indianapolis in 2005. As a result, Jenson Button and Takuma Sato were officially recorded as having not started the race.
That distinction explains why Honda’s entry milestone and its number of starts do not match. The manufacturer has been entered in 499 races before Austin, while the source’s figures list 498 starts.
Honda will become the fifth manufacturer to reach 500 entries, following Ferrari, Renault, Mercedes and Ford-Cosworth. BMW is next on the list after those manufacturers, despite having left grand prix racing in 2009.
Honda’s current partnership with Aston Martin has also been the subject of our coverage of the team’s Honda engine-braking issue at Monaco.
Honda staff arrive in Austin after preparation in Japan
Honda trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara described the Austin event as a special occasion for the manufacturer, while noting the challenge posed by the circuit. The layout combines fast, flowing sections with zones that demand heavy traction, he said.
After the Singapore Grand Prix, Honda’s power-unit and trackside personnel travelled to HRC Sakura in Japan. There, they reviewed the previous three events and prepared for the next triple-header. Honda said its power units had been fully serviced and were ready for Austin.
The 500-entry landmark arrives as Honda returns to the Circuit of the Americas with its current Aston Martin programme. Readers can also find our report on Honda’s 2026 engine leadership changes amid Aston Martin’s struggles.