Promising F1 projects do not always come to fruition. There can be a myriad reasons, but few are as tragic as what unfolded on this day, 15 April, in 1999.
“On this day in 1999, Formula 1 lost one of its greatest technical minds, Harvey Postlethwaite, whose sudden death set off a chain reaction impacting Jos Verstappen’s career and leading to the end of Honda’s ambitious F1 project. Honda’s dominant era as an engine supplier from 1986 to 1991 underlined by six constructors’ championships with Williams and McLaren caused Honda’s CEO, Nobuhiko Kawamoto, to believe F1 lacked technical challenge, leading to Honda’s withdrawal after 1992. Honda shifted focus to building their own single-seater chassis, with the unsuccessful RC100 eventually evolving into designs meeting 1993 regulations, fueling rumors of Honda’s return as a constructor. By 1995, Honda publicly announced intentions to return to F1, initially targeting 1998 but delayed to 2000 due to readiness concerns.”
“Reports speculated Honda would support Dome or acquire a stake in Tyrrell Racing while Mugen-Honda began engine supplies to Jordan Grand Prix as a stepping stone for Honda’s comeback. Honda’s official Formula 1 entry for at least five years by late 1998 laid out bold ambitions of podium contention by 2000 with annual budget disputes reflecting internal divisions on project scale. The team took shape with technical leadership from Postlethwaite, recruiting heavily from Tyrrell, as Honda sought drivers like Jacques Villeneuve and others before finalizing its lineup.”
