Honda RA272 - Mexican Grand Prix (1965)

• Limited to just 30 pieces
• Models exclusively available from Honda Motor Company
• Chassis RA272F-103 as raced to victory by Richie Ginther in the IV Gran Premio de Mexico at Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixhuca on the 24th of October 1965
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of craftsmen
• 1:8 scale model, over 49 cms/19 inches long
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 4500 hours to develop the model
• Over 450 hours to build each model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built after a detailed digital scan of the original RA272F-103 chassis, from the Honda Collection Hall in Motegi, Japan
• Created in collaboration with Honda Racing Corporation and Honda Motor Company

Prices shown are indicative and may vary during checkout on our partner's website.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Honda’s historic victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix, Amalgam Collection is delighted to have partnered with Honda Motor Company to create special 1:8 and 1:18 scale editions of the legendary RA272 that was victorious in the hands of Richie Ginter. This exclusive collaboration brings together Amalgam’s world-renowned craftsmanship with Honda’s original engineering expertise, resulting in a museum-quality replica that captures every detail of the car that secured Japan’s first-ever Formula 1 win. Developed using precise CAD data from scans of the original RA272F-103 chassis in the Honda Collection Hall, the model has been meticulously reviewed by Honda’s engineers and historians to ensure exceptional accuracy. This limited-edition piece not only honours a pivotal moment in motorsport history but also celebrates Honda’s enduring spirit of innovation and excellence.

The Beginning of a Legacy

The first Japanese car to win a FIA Formula 1 World Championship race, the Honda RA272 made motorsport history when Richie Ginther drove it to victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. Debuting in the 1965 season, the RA272 was powered by a screaming 1.5-liter V12 engine that revved to 12,000 rpm, showcasing Honda’s engineering prowess. Its triumph marked a major milestone, proving that Japanese manufacturers could compete at the pinnacle of motorsport and paving the way for Japan’s future successes in international racing. The RA272’s achievement inspired a new era of global respect for Japanese automotive technology and underscored Honda’s commitment to innovation and excellence on the world stage.

Competing in Formula 1 was an audacious challenge for Honda, coming just one year after the launch of its first production car. Although Honda had earned significant success in motorcycle racing, including victories at the Isle of Man TT, Formula 1 represented an entirely new level. Honda saw F1 as an ideal training ground for its engineers and, buoyed by their motorcycle triumphs, believed they could win on four wheels too. Initially, only a small team was assembled, most with motorcycle experience. To bolster their efforts, experienced engineers were hired, and fresh graduates were recruited to provide crucial manpower. This new R&D team was led by company founder Soichiro Honda himself.

Detailed design work for the prototype RA270 engine began in August 1962, with testing starting in June 1963. In January 1964, Honda publicly announced its Formula 1 ambitions, claiming its engine would produce 200 hp. This claim was quickly validated when the RA270 achieved 210 hp at 11,800 rpm during tests in Arakawa, Japan. Although Honda initially planned to supply only the engine and partner with a European chassis manufacturer, no agreement materialised. As a result, Honda undertook the formidable task of building its own complete car, something at the time only Ferrari and BRM were doing. Facing challenges in design, materials, and manufacturing due to limited automotive experience, Honda nonetheless persevered. These efforts culminated in the completion of the RA271, the company’s first Formula 1 machine, finished in ivory white with a vivid red circle on the nose to symbolise Japan’s flag.

The RA271 made its debut halfway through the 1964 season at the German Grand Prix with American rookie Ronnie Bucknum at the wheel, tackling the notoriously demanding Nürburgring. Although the RA271 failed to complete a lap in qualifying, it climbed to ninth place during the race before crashing out three laps from the finish. Bucknum continued in Italy, qualifying just three seconds off polesitter John Surtees before retiring with brake failure on lap 13, though his promising pace offered hope for future performance. A final appearance in the U.S. ended with a failed cylinder head gasket.

With new 3.0-liter engine regulations looming for 1966, Honda decided to further develop the RA271 rather than design an entirely new car. Lessons learned from the RA271 led engineers to extensively revise the chassis using lighter alloys, while the RA271E engine — already producing 217 hp, the most powerful of its time — was refined with structural material changes to become the lighter RA272E. The suspension system was redesigned with widened front and rear tracks, and the car’s fairing was refined for better aerodynamics. 

For 1965, Honda signed American Richie Ginther, known for his development skills, to join Bucknum. The RA272 debuted at the second race of the season in Monaco, followed by outings at Spa, Clermont-Ferrand, Silverstone, and Zandvoort. Despite aerodynamic improvements, the RA272 was hampered by weight and reliability issues, limiting Ginther to two sixth-place finishes while he retired from the rest. Bucknum also struggled, retiring from all three races he entered before breaking his leg in a testing accident at Suzuka. Honda skipped the German Grand Prix to focus on development, introducing the upgraded RA272 Rev. at the Italian Grand Prix. Key improvements included better cooling, a lower centre of gravity for improved manoeuvrability, a redesigned nose opening, and a newly developed front monocoque. At the rear, the engine was tilted forward, exhaust pipes were routed along the sides, and the space frame was reworked. The rear fairing was simplified, and the engine cover was redesigned. Although ignition issues sidelined both drivers at Monza, the revised package showed promise, with Ginther qualifying third — just 0.15 seconds off pole — at the U.S. Grand Prix.

At the final race of 1965 in Mexico City, held at an altitude of 2,000 meters, Honda’s fuel-injection system excelled in the thin air. Ginther qualified third, passed Jim Clark and Dan Gurney at the start, and led from the opening lap to the checkered flag, securing Honda’s first Formula 1 victory — just one year after their debut. Bucknum finished fifth, delivering a double points finish for the team and marking the first Grand Prix win for a Japanese car, engine, and team, and the first Asian constructor victory in Formula 1 history. Despite missing races and battling early reliability issues, Honda finished their second F1 season sixth in the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers with 11 points, proving the power of their technology and the dedication of their engineers.

1965 Mexican Grand Prix

This fine 1:8 scale model of Honda RA272 replicates the car raced to victory by Richie Ginter in the IV Gran Premio de Mexico at the high-altitude Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixhuca on the 24th of October 1965. Entering the race, the team had shown flashes of speed through out the season but struggled with reliability and weight issues. However, the thin air at 2,200 meters above sea level played perfectly into the hands of Honda’s fuel-injected V12, which maintained strong performance while rival engines lost power.

In qualifying, Ginther placed the #11 RA272 on the second row with the third-fastest time, just behind Jim Clark’s Lotus and Dan Gurney’s Brabham, while Ronnie Bucknum qualified 10th in the second Honda. At the start, Ginther made an electrifying launch, surging past Clark and Gurney to seize the lead into the first corner. Settling into a consistent rhythm, he expertly managed the RA272’s power delivery and brakes in the challenging thin atmosphere. Behind him, Clark retired with an engine failure, while Gurney lost positions in the opening laps before recovering to second by mid-race. Bucknum climbed into the top six early on, climbing to fifth place after overtaking Jackie Stewart’s BRM, though he eventually dropped back to sixth under pressure from Moisés Solana’s Lotus.

As the race wore on, Ginther and Gurney traded fastest laps, with Gurney steadily closing the gap. On the final lap, Ginther led by just three seconds, leaving no margin for error. Holding his nerve, he crossed the finish line first after 65 laps and nearly two hours of racing, securing Honda’s first-ever Formula 1 victory — a historic milestone as the first Grand Prix win for a Japanese car, engine, and team. Solana’s late retirement with ignition problems promoted Bucknum to fifth, delivering a double points finish for Honda. This remarkable result capped just the team’s second full season in Formula 1, validating the relentless efforts of Soichiro Honda’s engineers. Ginther’s triumph was a moment of national pride for Japan and signalled Honda’s emergence as a serious competitor on the world stage, while also demonstrating the effectiveness of their advanced fuel-injection system at altitude — a key technological advantage over European rivals.

This model has been meticulously handcrafted using our own CAD data, created by scanning the original victorious RA272 chassis (RA272F-103) preserved in the Honda Collection Hall in Motegi, Japan. Every detail has been faithfully reproduced with the assistance of Honda Motor Company, and the resulting prototype has undergone rigorous review by Honda’s engineers and historians to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The Honda RA272 is strictly limited to just 30 models at 1:8 scale.