Honda Will Base Its European Racing Operation In The U.K. To Prepare For F1 Participation

Honda on Thursday announced that it will base its European racing operation in Milton Keynes, U.K. in preparation for participation in the F1 World Championship starting in '15. The new facility will be the European frontline operation for Honda's F1 participation and will rebuild and maintain the power units developed at the Honda R&D center in Tochigi, Japan. Honda will also base its trackside support operations from this new European office. The office will be located in the new engine research and development center of MUGEN EURO, where Honda plans to start operations in June. It was important for Honda to establish a European facility. The U.K. offers a convenient location, as it is the home of McLaren and the base for many F1 suppliers. With seven of the 19 races taking place in Europe this year, the U.K. acts as a global hub for the transportation of parts as well as team personnel (Honda).