Honda’s Racing Heritage in Action on the Goodwood Hillclimb

Honda will be showcasing its illustrious racing heritage at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed which takes place from 11-14 July. Two and four wheeled Honda legends from the 60s and the present day will negotiate the famous Goodwood Hillclimb with a host of Honda’s racing champions including John Surtees and TT Legend John McGuinness at the controls.

Joining the four wheel line up are two of Honda’s V12 Formula One racers from the 60s – the 1.5 litre RA272, plus the RA300 from the early 3.0 litre era.

The RA272 machine was used by the Honda team in the 1965 Formula One season. Driven by Richie Ginther, it led the Mexican Grand Prix from start to finish making it the first Japanese car to win a Formula One Grand Prix. Two years after this victory, Britain’s John Surtees steered the Honda RA300 racer to first place in the 1967 Italian Grand Prix. Surtees will once again be reunited with his old charger at this year’s Festival as he returns to race it up the famous Goodwood Hillclimb.

On two-wheels, historic content including the world’s first 5-cylinder race bike, the RC149 and the iconic NSR500 from the bygone era of 500cc two-stroke machines in Grand Prix racing, will be displayed in all their glory. The two ‘classic’ racers will line-up alongside current competition machinery in the form of the 2013 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade that competes in World Superbikes, British Superbikes and in world-famous road races such as the Isle of Man TT (in various specifications).

These current two-wheeled racing machines will be placed next to Honda’s latest four-wheeled BTCC championship winning Civic. The new-shape NGTC Civic made its BTCC debut in 2012 and proceeded to secure the Honda Yuasa Racing team the manufacturers’ and teams’ titles and powered driver Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden to his first BTCC Championship crown with 2011 champion Matt Neal a close second.

This Civic forms the basis of Honda Yuasa Racing’s assault on the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship and both Flash and Matt will be negotiating the machine up the Goodwood Hillclimb throughout the weekend.

The RA272, RA300 and RC149 and NSR500 machines have arrived in the UK directly from The Honda Collection Hall in Japan. Designed to be a living history, The Collection Hall is a state-of-the-art three-storey museum situated in Motegi dedicated to the company’s rich history of innovation, racing passion and engineering excellence.

The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world. Held in the grounds of Goodwood House, the annual Hillclimb event is a celebration of motor sport and all things automotive. Visit www.goodwood.com to book tickets in advance.

To find out more about Honda’s racing activities in the UK, visit www.honda.co.uk/racing