Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has announced its entry into the memorabilia market, offering Formula 1 fans a rare opportunity to own pieces of motorsport history. The company’s debut auction will feature parts from the legendary Honda RA100E V10 engine, which powered Ayrton Senna to his 1990 Formula 1 World Championship.
The auction will take place during Monterey Car Week in August 2025, marking HRC’s first foray into offering motorsport memorabilia. Along with the RA100E engine, fans will have the chance to bid on a variety of other rare collectibles, such as signed merchandise, limited-edition items, and significant artefacts from Honda’s storied racing history.
HRC President Koji Watanabe expressed excitement about the venture, saying, “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. Including our fans to own a part of Honda’s racing history is not intended to be a one-time endeavour, but rather a continuous business that we will nurture and grow.”
The highlight of the auction will undoubtedly be the RA100E engine, which helped Senna achieve six Grand Prix victories during the 1990 season. The engine was disassembled at HRC’s factory in Sakura City, Japan, by the original engineers who built it. Each component—such as the camshafts, pistons, and connecting rods—will be placed in display cases and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
The RA100E engine powered Senna’s McLaren MP4/5B, a car designed by Neil Oatley and crafted to optimize performance for the Brazilian driver. The McLaren MP4/5B, which secured both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships that year, was a remarkable evolution of the MP4/5 and featured contributions from prominent figures like Gordon Murray, the Technical Director at the time.
This 3.5-liter engine produced between 690 and 710 horsepower at an incredible 13,500 rpm, making it one of the most potent power units of its era. While the engine faced some initial reliability challenges, Honda quickly rectified these issues, and the team’s performance soared. Senna’s dominance in 1990, marked by his six victories, cemented his place in F1 history alongside teammate Gerhard Berger, who secured seven podium finishes that same season.
Honda’s legacy in F1 is not limited to the 1990 season. The company also enjoyed tremendous success in subsequent years, most notably through its partnerships with McLaren and Red Bull, resulting in two constructors’ championships and four drivers’ titles. In 2026, Honda will collaborate with Aston Martin to develop power units for the British team, continuing its commitment to excellence in motorsport despite the challenges it faces.
For collectors and motorsport enthusiasts alike, the chance to own a piece of the RA100E engine is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With Honda’s ongoing dedication to racing innovation and history, this auction represents just the beginning of what promises to be a thrilling new chapter for the brand in the memorabilia market.
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