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Technology in the race car (13): Honda RA 272 - lateral driver

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Created on January 24, 2022

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Stuart Adams Photography / stuartfadams.com

Archiv

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Stuart Adams Photography / stuartfadams.com

Archiv

Honda F1 RA 272 (1965) - so gefahren von Richie Ginther beim GP von Mexico 1965 - gezeigt am Genfer Autosalon 2016

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - Nein, kein Uhrwerk, sondern die Zahnradkaskade im Motor-Getriebe-Kompaktpaket

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - Teamarbeit in weisser Weste - eine frische Note im Grand Prix-Feld

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - arbeitsintensive Feinmechanik

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - der Drehzahlmesser zeigte nur bis 15'000 Umdrehungen pro Minute an

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - Motor von unten, Schnittebene Kurbelgehäuse

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - Motor von oben, gut sichtbar der schmale mittige Nockenwellenantrieb

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - knapp sichtbar die jetzt seitlich geführten vorderen Auspuffrohre. Die hinteren Längslenker können rasch umdisponiert werden

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Honda RA 271 (1964) - die kompakte Heckpartie des Vorgängers

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Bugatti Typ 251 (1956) - mit quer eingebautem 2,5-Liter-8-Zylinder-Reihenmotor

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - der quer eingebaute V-12-Motor

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - Richie Ginther beim Grand Prix von Silversteone 1965 in der ersten Reihe mit Jim Clark auf Lotus 33

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Honda RA 272 (1965) - die Verfolger ganz klein im Talbot-Rückspiegel - Fiesta mexicana - erster japanischer Sieg mit US-Fahrer schon im zweiten Jahr

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Honda RA 271 (1964) - Formel-1-Monoposto in der Boxengasse

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Honda F1 RA 272 (1965) - gefahren von Richie Ginther beim GP von Mexico - am Genfer Autosalon 2016

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Honda RA272 (1965) - am Goodwood Festival of Speed 2015

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Honda in der Formel 1 - Werbung aus dem Jahr 1990

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Summary

Honda made its debut in Formula 1 with the RA 272 and its predecessor, the RA 271, and showed right from the start that it could compete at the very front. The transverse-mounted V12 engine was more powerful than those of the competition and allowed for a compact monoposto design, which was ultimately rewarded with a Grand Prix victory. This report from the "Technology in racing cars" series looks at the special design features of the unusually built Honda Formula 1 racing car.

This article contains the following chapters

New style
Transverse instead of longitudinal
Adjustments to the installation position
With its own chassis
Successful after a short time

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1978 were the two most creative decades in the history of racing technology. This series portrays the most innovative, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy cars, sports cars and CanAm, and at the same time traces the major lines of development that still have an impact today. The series started with Lotus, one of the most important innovation drivers of these two decades. And the series will also finish with Lotus: With the first ground-effect Formula 1 to win a world championship in 1978; the Type 79. In 1964, Japanese drivers appeared in Formula 1 for the first time with Honda, under the leadership of Nobuhiko Kawamoto, who would later become CEO of Honda.

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