Former Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato will take part in a demonstration drive in a Williams-Honda FW11 at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon this weekend. Honda shared a sneak peek of the Japanese rider’s preparations ahead of the January 10 race.
As well as demonstrating at the FW11, Sato will also drive a McLaren-Honda MP4/6.
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The full exhibition will take place from January 9 to 11 and will showcase a wide range of vehicles from multiple motorsport categories, with outdoor demonstrations taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
Sato will drive the FW11, the machine that gave Honda its first constructors’ title in 1986 with drivers Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet. Designed by aerodynamics chief Frank Dernie under technical director Patrick Head, the car was powered by Honda’s 1.5-litre V6 turbo engine, which proved to be one of the most powerful engines in the championship at the time.
The McLaren MP4/6 won both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles in 1991, with Ayrton Senna taking the Honda-powered machine to his third driver’s title.
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Prior to this, Honda will establish a new exclusive partnership with the Aston Martin F1 Team in 2026. The Japanese manufacturer has joined Silverstone as its power unit supplier after parting ways with Red Bull at the end of 2025.
Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe has explained why the company is motivated to remain in the series due to F1 rule changes for 2026.
“I think Honda probably can’t live without F1,” he told Aston Martin. “However, specifically, changes to power unit regulations for 2026 were a significant factor in Honda’s decision to return to the sport.
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“These regulations encourage an output ratio of 50:50 between internal combustion and electric motors, with the output of the latter almost tripling from 120kW to 350kW. Combined with the requirement to use advanced sustainable fuels, this is very much in line with Honda’s philosophy on future propulsion systems.
“It is also in line with our business positioning. The pinnacle of motorsport is the place to perfect our technology, improve our technical capabilities and showcase it all on the world stage. This is very important for Honda’s future.”
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