The final Honda V10 driven by F1 legend Ayrton Senna is available for purchase.
Honda
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Prepare your finances, access your 401K, consider the impact on your child's 529 plan, or even reach out to your parents for a loan; something truly remarkable is about to be auctioned, and you'll want to do everything possible to acquire it. Honda is offering a used V10 Formula 1 engine that was driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna during the 1990 FIA Formula One World Championship.
This engine, serial number V805, was originally fitted to the back of a McLaren Honda MP4/5B and was utilized by the three-time F1 champion during the final two race weekends of the 1990 season. Specifically, it was used in the warm-up for the Japanese GP at the Suzuka Circuit in October and the race at the Australian GP in Adelaide in November.
Referring to the stats of the Japanese GP, you'll see that Senna secured third place during the warm-up session with this engine and went on to qualify in pole position, ahead of his former teammate Alain Prost. It is likely that the engine was changed between the warm-up and the qualifying session, as Honda has indicated it was only used in the warm-up. Alternatively, it could be that the same engine was intended for use over the weekend but did not officially compete since Senna collided with Prost on the first corner of the first lap, resulting in both the McLaren and Ferrari failing to finish—though this was instrumental in winning Senna his second drivers' title.
The Australian GP proved no better for Senna, as he started from pole position but retired due to a gearbox problem. Nelson Piquet, another Brazilian, won both of these races.
The fact that this engine did not achieve a race victory does not diminish its significance, as it is ultimately the last V10 engine driven by Senna. At that time, all engines were returned to Honda in Japan for disassembly and assessment, and most were eventually discarded. However, this last V10, before the move to V12 engines, was preserved and stored. It remained intact until recently when it was carefully dismantled to be properly displayed for the upcoming auction.
Honda
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), including HRC US in North America, has been actively working to expand its business operations over the past year, making it expected to see special items like this being made available to the public. This raises curiosity about what other treasures Honda might have tucked away in its numerous warehouses; it certainly feels like this might just be the beginning.
The auction, hosted by Bonhams, is set for August 15 during Monterey Car Week, so be sure to have your bidder number ready when the auction begins. Click here for more information.
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The final Honda V10 driven by F1 legend Ayrton Senna is available for purchase.
There's plenty of Senna memorabilia available, but a fully race-used F1 engine from Honda? That's unprecedented.