Honda's impressive racing heritage will again be displayed at this year’s Festival of Speed, with performances from two and four wheeled legends. Three milestone cars from Honda’s Collection Hall in Japan are making the trip to West Sussex, along with eight legendary bikes, including three Isle of Man TT-winning motorcycles.
If that’s not enough, the JAS Motorsport Civic Type-R will be tearing up the hill with Honda F1 test driver Christian Klien at the wheel. Jenson Button will also be taking his 2007 ride along; the Honda RA107 Formula 1 car.
Proving ‘green’ cars can be gorgeous and ultra-cool, Honda’s Small Hybrid Sports Concept Car will also be making its debut appearance in the UK. See it in the new Technology Pavilion along with a static display of ASIMO where visitors can learn about the background behind one of the world’s most famous robots.
Blasting up the hill for Honda will be:
Motorcycles
Luigi Taveri: RC145 (this model won all 10 races in its class in the 1962 World Championship series)
Tommy Rob: RC163 (a 1962 250cc World Motorcycle Grand Prix bike)
Ralph Bryans: RC162 (a 250cc 1962 Grand Prix machine)Bob Heath: RC173 (The six-cylinder Honda is one of the legendary machines of GP racing. Mike Hailwood won the 1966 and 1967 350 World Championships on the 297cc version)
Stuart Graham: RC174 (Winner of seven out of eight races in the 1967 World Championship Series)
Jim Redman: Honda NR 750 (Debuted in the Le Mans 24-Hour Endurance Race)
Roger Marshall: VTR 1000 SPW (this machine helped Honda capture second place in the 2001 Manufacturer's and Rider's Championships)
John McGuiness: CBR1000RR (The pair raced to victory in the 2007 Senior TT Superbike Race, setting a new record in the process, breaking through the average 130mph speed barrier. The CBR1000RR’s 2007 win made it Honda’s 135th race victory)
Cars
John Surtees: Honda RA301 (the 3.0-litre car that won its maiden GP outing in 1968)
Anthony Davidson / Gil De Ferran: Williams Honda FW11 (the F1 car driven by Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet that won Honda its first constructor’s championship)
Jenson Button: Honda Racing F1 Team RA107
Christian Klien: JAS Motorsport Civic Type-R
