Motor Sport: Winning Laurels
Soichiro was always a big promoter of motor sport, even before he founded the Honda Motor Company. He participated in a few races himself, which fuelled his love for motor sport. Soichiro always believed that the way to progress is through motor sport and this was the reason why many of Honda’s road-going products derived technology from the racetrack. The little Super Cub is an early example. Soichiro Honda was so fascinated by racing that after touring Europe in 1954, he returned to Japan and announced the company’s plan to soon enter the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the world’s toughest and most prestigious road race. However, given the resources and bikes Honda had at the time, it wasn’t appropriate for the company to enter the TT. They instead participated in an international race in Brazil, with a 125-cc two-speed bike ridden by Mikio Omura, who finished 13th in the race. Following this, the company kept developing race bikes and participating in domestic competition wherein they won races and lost a few, but led by the challenging spirit, Honda continued with the process of R&D. As the wins grew, so did Soichiro Honda’s dream to win the world championship, in 1983, Freddie Spencer was the Grand Prix rider who gave Honda their first ever world championship. Soichiro was so elated by this that he invited Spencer to Tokyo, to his home, on the Tuesday after the Sunday on which he clinched the championship. Tears in his eyes, Honda thanked Spencer by placing his hands on Freddie’s shoulders. Since then, Honda has seen a lot of success in multiple forms of motorsports and the company have come a long way in racing from that first Grand Prix win in 1961, in Spain, by Tom Phillis to their 750th Grand Prix victory, which came in Argentina when Cal Crutchlow rode exceptionally well to give Honda this enormous milestone.
Racing improves the breed” —Soichiro Honda