Honda RA300

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**Honda RA300**

Category	Formula One
Constructor	Honda R&D
Designer	Eric Broadley, John Surtees, Yoshio Nakamura, Shoichi Sano
Chassis	Aluminium monocoque
Suspension (front)
Suspension (rear)
Engine	Honda RA273E, 2991cc V12 naturally aspirated Mid-engined, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	Honda 5-speed manual
Fuel	BP/Shell
Tyres	Firestone
Notable entrants	Honda Racing
Notable drivers	John Surtees
Debut	1967 Italian Grand Prix, Monza.
Races competed	3
Race victories	1
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0

The Honda RA300 was a Formula One racing car produced by Honda Racing, and introduced half way through the 1967 Formula One season. It retained the same V12 engine as the preceding RA273 car, but the chassis was designed by Lola's Eric Broadley and based on a previous Lola Indianapolis 500 car. This collaboration resulted in the machine being quickly dubbed the Hondola by the motorsports press.

Broadley's chassis was much lighter and sweeter handling than the previous in-house design. The car initially performed impressively, winning in its first ever World Championship race at the 1967 Italian Grand Prix. Driver John Surtees took the lead from Jim Clark's Lotus and Jack Brabham's Brabham on the final lap, after Clark ran out of fuel and Brabham ran wide. However, the RA300 flattered to deceive, and this would turn out to be the only lap that an RA300 would lead, and it never again took a World Championship victory. It remains the only F1 car ever to take its single victory in its very first Grand Prix, and on the only lap it would ever lead.

The Honda RA300, as rendered in the Grand Prix Legends computer simulation.

The remainder of the 1967 season saw Surtees collect only three more points, with a fourth place at the 1967 Mexican Grand Prix. The car was superceeded in the following season by the Honda RA301, a design closely based on the RA300. However, this did not improve Honda's results, Surtees only managing to finish four of the season's twelve events.