» Honda return rumours ‘unfounded’

Honda has removed itself from recent speculation that it could make a return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier with its former partner, McLaren.

In the wake of McLaren switching to become a Mercedes-Benz customer after it bought back the stake owned by the German carmaker (which had set up its own bespoke F1 team, ironically from the ashes of the old Honda/Brawn concern), there had been rumours that Honda was looking to make a comeback with the Woking team under the new engine regulations that will come into play in 2014.

McLaren had already rejected such speculation last week, and now Honda CEO Takanobu Ito has also confirmed that the Japanese company does not see F1 on its horizons for the moment.

“That was a complete unfounded rumour,” he told representatives at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday.

“Of course we are interested but we think there are higher priorities than Formula 1.”

[Image via The Cahier Archive]