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The Spirit of '83: Honda's first return

Honda's first Formula 1 return was very different to its 2015 reunion with McLaren. On the eve of the Japanese giant's latest comeback, GARY WATKINS tells the story of Spirit and Honda's turbo babysteps

Suppose Honda was re-entering grand prix racing this season with Marussia rather than McLaren. Or supplying engines to a team plucked from GP2. That would be an unlikely scenario today, but it was the kind of low-key approach that the Japanese manufacturer chose 32 years ago.

It didn't sign up with a grandee of the grid to end its 14-year absence from Formula 1, but promoted one of its existing squads from the lower formulae and only turned up mid-season with what was little more than a modified Formula 2 car.

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