Tsunoda will get behind the wheel of the historic Honda RA272 in Mexico.

      This year Honda is marking the 60th anniversary of its first Formula 1 victory – on October 24, 1965 American driver Richie Ginther won the Mexican Grand Prix in the RA272 powered by a 1.5‑litre Honda 272E V12 engine.

      To celebrate the occasion, the Japanese company has decided to hold demonstration runs in Mexico City on October 26: Yuki Tsunoda will take the wheel of Ginther’s historic car.

      In 1965 Honda R&D Company was competing in its second season in Formula 1 as a fully factory-backed team, and its white cars bore the flag of Japan. Ahead of the upcoming runs at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Japanese engineers once again inspected the unique RA272, which is kept in the company museum, and carried out full servicing.

      (Incidentally, Pedro Rodríguez raced in that event 60 years ago in a Ferrari for the American North American Racing Team, but that’s another story.)

      Yuki Tsunoda: “It is a great honor for me to sit behind the wheel of the RA272 at this circuit, which holds a special place in Honda’s history, because the first Formula 1 victory was achieved there.

      I will be piloting the car on the track where, 60 years ago, the story of success for Japanese motorsport began, and this will give me an unforgettable experience…”

      Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC): “The RA272 will once again run on the track in Mexico where Honda claimed its first victory 60 years ago. Moreover, it is very important that Yuki Tsunoda now represents Japan in Formula 1, because he is the one who will drive this historic car.”