Max Verstappen took the wheel of a historic Honda Formula 1 car ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.
He visited Honda’s Tochigi Proving Ground to drive the RA272, a landmark car powered by a 1.5-litre V12 that delivered Honda’s first F1 victory. The RA272 was famously piloted to victory by Richie Ginther at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix.
Although Honda-powered cars have ultimately won 74 F1 races — including Verstappen’s two wins for Red Bull this year — only three factory Honda cars have claimed grand prix victories, and the RA272 remains one of the most significant.
“I didn’t fit in very well,” Verstappen admitted after driving. “I was a bit stuck.” He shared driving duties with long-time Honda driver and former F1 racer Takuma Sato, who has deep experience with Honda machinery.
“It was a great experience to drive,” Verstappen said. “Of course you’re not driving it flat-out but it was a really cool experience.”
Max Verstappen drives a Honda RA272
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