Honda has announced its return to Formula 1 F1 from 2026. The company ended in 2021 as an F1 engine supplier and will return to the top Formula stage after a 4-year gap. What does Honda's F1 comeback mean? In addition, as the wave of electrification sweeps the racing world, how will these technologies be applied to production vehicles?
According to Honda's announcement, the reason for the decision to make a comeback is that F1 will make rule changes in 2026, including new regulations such as the use of 100% carbon-neutral fuels and an increase in the ratio of electrification. Specifically, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) plans to implement a rule change in 2026 that would require engines to output 50% of their maximum power, with the remaining 50% provided by electric motors. At the same time, Honda announced that it will "increase the proportion of electric vehicle (EV) and fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) sales globally to 100% by 2040. The direction of development of the two has a lot in common.
So a compelling question is how F1 car technology feeds back into production cars. In particular, last year, Honda announced that it would put an electric car into electric vehicles as its flagship sports car by 2030, and the next generation NSX is likely to be available in pure electric form. So Honda's F1 comeback and how these technologies can be applied to production cars is undoubtedly the focus of attention, not just Honda fans.
The first thing to say is that the next generation NSX will likely feature a high-power electric motor and a battery capable of achieving a high power reserve and output, and these technologies are likely to be derived from the F1. In the announcement of its F1 comeback, Honda said that "the technology and expertise gained from F1 has the potential to directly affect the competitiveness of electric flagship sports cars".
From the specifications of Honda's second-generation NSX, the traditional model has reached a maximum output of 610 horsepower and a maximum torque of 667 Nm. If it is to be put into the next generation or the next generation of flagship supercars, it will need output that exceeds traditional levels and compact batteries that can enhance sports performance.
In addition, considering the technology accumulated after participating in F1 racing, the launch of the next-generation NSX is expected to be in the late 2026s. By that time, battery technology has the potential to be further developed and possibly even achieve breakthrough all-solid-state batteries.
Regarding the character of the next-generation NSX, it is foreseeable that it will still focus on excellent handling. At this point, Honda's head of the U.S. division has made it clear that Honda's premium brand "Acura" will also focus on this, unlike the high-powered models of electric car manufacturers such as Tesla and Lucid.
In addition, NSX hopes to achieve the title of "fastest lap for electricity" at the Nürburgring. At present, Tesla "Model S Plaid" has just set the Nürburgring record for the fastest lap, reaching the 7 minutes and 25 seconds range, but this is far from satisfying NSX developers and fans. As a result, it is likely that a lightweight track version of the Nürburgring will be launched, and the legendary "Type R" may be resurrected.
In short, the next-generation NSX is expected to be on the market for more than 5 years. As development progresses, Honda may gradually disclose new information, so it is still necessary to pay close attention to Honda's movements. Do you think the new NSX is still worthy of the name of Dongying Ferrari? Welcome to the comment area to leave a message for interaction!