2006 Honda F1 Team FILA Hat

Honda's 2006 Formula 1 season was notable for being the team’s only full year as a constructor in F1, though their involvement in the sport stretches further back.

Honda first entered Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 1964, and they were known for powering teams like the Scuderia Ferrari in the 1980s. Their return to F1 as a full constructor came in 2006 after they purchased the BAR (British American Racing) team, which they had previously been involved with since 2000.

In 2006, Honda’s F1 team was branded as Honda Racing F1 Team. They entered the season with a renewed ambition and a significant commitment to developing a competitive car, using the Honda RA106 chassis powered by their own engines. The team had a solid driver lineup, with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello behind the wheel. Although they had a promising start, their results were not as competitive as they had hoped, and they ended the season without any podium finishes, with Button’s fifth place in the Hungarian Grand Prix being their best result.

In 2008, Honda decided to withdraw from Formula 1 due to financial difficulties following the global economic downturn. This ended their stint as a constructor in F1. The team was then sold to Ross Brawn and rebranded as Brawn GP, which, in a remarkable turn of events, went on to win both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in 2009.

Therefore, the 2006 season marks Honda's one and only year as a full F1 constructor under the Honda name, before their brief return as an engine supplier to McLaren and later, Red Bull Racing