Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), the dedicated motorsport arm of Honda, has announced plans to launch its own memorabilia business.
HRC intends to offer enthusiasts the chance to buy more than just branded t-shirts and baseball caps, however.
Indeed, fans will be able to bid for the chance to own genuine pieces of motorsport history.
Signed merchandise, limited-edition collectables and rare artefacts from the company’s racing teams will all be up for grabs.
A legendary motorsport engine
To celebrate the launch of its new memorabilia business, HRC will auction selected parts from the legendary RA100E V-10 engine, as fitted to the 1990 McLaren MP4/5B Formula One car.
Driven by Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger, the MP4-5B claimed six race wins and 12 podiums during the 1990 season. This was enough to secure Senna his second Drivers’ World Championship title, along with the Constructors’ World Championship crown for McLaren.
Honda continued to develop the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter RA100E V-10 throughout the season, achieving a peak output of 710 hp.
Now, an example of the famous RA100E engine has been disassembled at HRC’s factory in Sakura City, Japan, by the people who originally helped build it.
Sharing in Honda history
HRC has chosen parts such as the camshafts, cam covers, pistons and connecting rods from the RA100E engine, and placed them in bespoke display cases. Each item will come with an HRC certificate of authenticity.
The auction for the RA100E components will take place during this year’s Monterey Car Week in August.
Honda is also selecting other machines from its heritage collection to be sold, including IndyCar racers and valuable motorcycles.
“We aim to make this a valuable business that allows fans who love F1, MotoGP and various other races to share in the history of Honda’s challenges in racing since the 1950s,” said HRC President Koji Watanabe.
“Including our fans to own a part of Honda’s racing history is not intended to be a one-time endeavor, but rather a continuous business that we will nurture and grow.”
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