F1 ANALYST
HONDA: A WELLTRODDEN ROAD TO SUCCESS
Ben Edwards on the drive of Soichiro Honda
Inspirational people abound in motorsport. From top-level drivers who astonish us with their skill, control and courage, to people behind the scenes who create the facilities and technology for it all to be realised on track. That human element of determination and commitment in the face of sky-high challenges is always impressive.
The coronavirus lockdown gave me a chance to revisit the career of a man whose influence is still part of the modern scene, and who overcame national and global traumas to emerge as a figurehead in the world of mechanised transport.
A book on the subject arrived on my doorstep thanks to my neighbour having a clear out, and I was soon immersed. Soichiro Honda was born in 1906 in a period of severe economic recession. He developed an early passion for machinery and at the age of 15 travelled to Tokyo to become an apprentice at a garage owned by a motor racing fan.
Initially he found himself babysitting the boss’s child rather than wielding spanners, but an event that had devastating consequences for many people
Having survived so many dramas, Honda was now in his forties, and despite the tough economic conditions of post-war Japan he was inspired by technology to create appealing products. At the same time, he met Takeo Fujisawa – an entrepreneur who had worked his way from being a salesman to running a manufacturing business. The two of them gelled immediately.
It proved to be the perfect partnership and the power behind the Honda Motor Company. Soichiro Honda focused on R&D and sharing technology with his engineers, while Fujisawa concentrated on sales and corporate management. Profits were important, but for both men a sense of creating an entity that worked in harmony and for the benefit of everyone involved was crucial.
Seniority in the design department did not guarantee the most engaging roles; Soichiro Honda handed over the challenge of building racing engines to some of his youngest employees, a pattern maintained over the years, at times to the detriment of a campaign but always with the hope of generating new ideas and fresh thinking.
Indeed, one of the periods of least success was when Soichiro insisted on developing air-cooled engines in the late 1960s, both for road and track. It was only after a quiet discussion with Fujisawa that he realised he was denying his experts their own opinions and shelved the idea. The first water-cooled CVCC engine came soon afterwards, a vital aspect in the international growth of the firm.
In 1973 both stepped down from everyday management of the company, but remained crucial advisors, celebrating F1 success in the late 1980s, although both had passed away when Honda withdrew from F1 after 1992.
My journey through Honda’s history while experiencing these unusual modern times was reassuring and encouraging, and relevant to current F1. New paths need to be found, and cooperation with the right people sharing complementary ideas and skills could lead to extraordinary achievements.
Honda as an engine supplier in F1 is now in a strong position, partnered with a Red Bull team that pursues success voraciously, thrives on the technical savvy of Adrian Newey and employs the hugely talented Max Verstappen. In the latter races of last year, the power unit reached a level that put it on a par with Mercedes and Ferrari, and reliability improved immensely. Three victories were accomplished, the first in Austria, which could prove a positive omen for the season ahead.
After five years of torment attempting to produce a competitive package, perhaps Honda can reflect the ability of its founder by emerging from desperate times to recreate the era of the rising sun glowing brightly in F1. would be a turnaround for him. An earthquake and subsequent firestorm in Tokyo in 1923 killed over 100,000 people. The city was thrown into chaos.
The garage remained in business but on a much smaller scale; thankfully Honda was retained and suddenly immersed in every detail of car repair. He learned fast and comprehensively and was encouraged by his boss to go racing. After building his first car, based around an eight-litre V8 engine, Honda was soon winning. A nasty shunt when heading for another victory in 1936 curtailed his driving aspirations but did nothing to dampen his inner determination to succeed.
Honda reset his ambitions into developing his own business, and identified an opportunity in the world of engine building – specifically piston rings. He dived in but there was a problem. While he was proficient at casting many other components, these flexible yet severely loaded steel loops were temperamental. Production was failing, but instead of quitting Honda went to college.
A metallurgy expert was lecturing nearby so Honda combined being company boss with parttime studies and diligently followed the prospectus. He conquered the challenge, the company pulled through and, by the time World War II occurred, was ideally placed to manufacture all sorts of vital parts. By 1945 he had escaped bombing raids and another earthquake and decided to take a year-long sabbatical to enjoy home-distilled whisky and learn to play the flute. Lockdown, for Honda, would not have been an issue…