Surtees also gave the team their first pole position at Monza a year later. The team withdrew from Formula One in 1969 and didn't return until 1983, but this time a decision was taken to be an engine supplier only and the team went on, via a brief spell as Spirit-Honda, to establish a successful partnership with Williams
Nigel Mansell joined the team and the Honda powered Williams became the team to beat. Honda engines powered Williams and Lotus in 1987 and these cars won 11 of the 16 races that year with Nelson Piquet winning the title.
Honda switched to McLaren at the end of 1987 and their engines helped Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna become champions.
In 1992, when a Honda-powered car failed to win the title, they quit the sport again before returning towards the end of 1999. In 2000, Honda supplied engines for BAR, and Jordan.
BAR became Honda Racing in 2006 but they failed to reproduce their glorious past and today's announcement sees them exit once more, probaby never to return.
