A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Whether you are a seasoned Formula 1 fan or a casual viewer of Drive to Survive on Netflix, the name Ayrton Senna rings a certain bell of universality that only a certain upper echelon can achieve. Over his 10 years in Formula 1 from 1984 to his last race at Imola in 1994, Senna’s racing style, finesse, and grace both on and off-track would cement his legacy in a similar vein to legends like Diego Maradona or Michael Jordan in their respective sports.
Like most sports, the industry of authentic memorabilia is a business that draws the biggest fans of Formula 1 and their pocketbooks. But unlike a signed game-used bat by Shohei Ohtani, or a pair of game-worn shoes by Michael Jordan, certain Formula One memorabilia pieces have an immense backstory that can only be told by those who lived it.
Honda
You can own Senna’s old [disassembled] engine
In an announcement on June 23, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) announced that it will be participating in the Bonham’s Quail Auction during Monterey Car Week on August 15 and auctioning off a special piece of Formula 1 memorabilia to a lucky bidder.
This historical piece is engine number V805 from the RA100E series, which was installed in the McLaren Marlboro Honda MP4/5B used in the 1990 FIA Formula One World Championship. According to HRC, this was the last Honda V10 engine used by Ayrton Senna during his title run that year.
Honda
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The period known as the “3.5-liter era,” which lasted from 1989 to 1994, was a time when Formula 1 teams heavily experimented with naturally aspirated engines limited to a maximum displacement of 3.5 liters after a ban on turbocharging. While teams explored various engine configurations, including V8s, V10s, and V12s, Honda’s RA100E V10 helped Senna get to the podium, as it made close to 700 horsepower at a redline of 13,500 rpm.
HRC says that this engine was used by Senna during the warm-up session of the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit on the weekend of October 21, 1990. Notoriously, the race in Japan saw a first-corner collision between Senna and rival Alain Prost, which confirmed the 1990 World Championship for Senna.
However, this engine would go on to be used during the actual race at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide on November 4, 1990, where he’d exit the race due to a gearbox issue on lap 61. Ironically, a day before the race, he delivered his infamous “if you no longer go for a gap” speech to Jackie Stewart in a television interview at the track.
Apart from the storied provenance, Honda states that this engine is not supposed to exist. During this era, Honda F1 engines were typically supposed to be flown back to Japan to be disassembled to check for wear and fatigue, analyzed to identify issues to improve the specifications of next year’s engines, and then discarded because of the labor-intensive work to reassemble an engine. However, they state that “since 1990 was the last year for the V10 engine and development of the V12 engine for the following year had already begun, the V805 was preserved in its original state without being disassembled.”
Honda
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HRC’s offering of the Senna V10 at the Quail is the first item offered by the division’s newly formed memorabilia business. Announced as a new venture by HRC in April 2025, its memorabilia division aims to offer global motorsports fans the opportunity to own a piece of history, which is not limited to race machines, engines, and their parts. Per HRC, they plan to expand the memorabilia business in Japan through auctions and other forms of marketplace in the future.
Like any reputable memorabilia service, an original certificate from HRC proving the engine’s authenticity will be included with the engine, which will come in a museum-like glass cabinet ready for display in one’s home, garage, or private collection. According to Bonhams, the item is being sold with no reserve.
Final thoughts
As a fan of ’90s Hondas and an admirer of this era of Formula 1, I feel that this feels like a trifecta of worlds colliding together. During this time, Honda was not shy about boasting about its achievements in Formula 1. In a 1991 ad for the Acura Integra, clips of the ‘Teggy are interwoven with B-roll on the paddock, which shows Ayrton Senna and McLaren Marlboro Honda engineers fiddling and adjusting the MP4/5B.
“While all engineers earn their degrees in school, ours are also graduates of a higher institution: Formula 1 racing. Because those who learn to do it right in the first place have a tendency to finish there,” it boasted.
This was a defining moment for Honda cars. This is the same era in which Senna himself had a hand in developing the Acura NSX. It was also a time before hybrids and crossovers, when VTEC was the most technologically advanced engine technology available, and when it introduced double-wishbone suspension to the Civic, CR-X, and Integra.
If I had unlimited money right now, I’d buy this engine, hire some master racing mechanics to help me reassemble it, and put it under the hood of an S2000. If that doesn’t work out, I’d put it in a gutted-out, mid-engine CR-V.