Special Feature

Ginther’s Honda

Pete Lyons
Richie Ginther drove a flawless race in a dominat car to win the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix and reward Honda with the first of its many Formula 1 successes. Photo: Ozzie Lyons / www.petelyons.com

That sound! A wild shriek spearing out of the new Japanese F1 sliced like a samurai sword through the dronings and raspings of the commonplace European engines. Beware, that unearthly cry proclaimed. We are coming.

Pete Lyons

It was at Watkins Glen in 1964, the next to last year of the 1.5-liter formula. Honda, an established force in motorcycles, was new to cars, but hubris said, “why not jump in at the top?”

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