Japanese car manufacturer Honda participated in Formula One, as an entrant, constructor and engine supplier between 1964 and 2008. Honda's involvement in F1 began with the 1964 season; their withdrawal in 1968 was precipitated by the death of Honda driver Jo Schlesser during the 1968 French Grand Prix. They returned in 1983 as an engine supplier, a role that ended in 1992. They returned again in 2000, providing engines for British American Racing (BAR). By the end of 2005 they had bought out the BAR team, based at Brackley, United Kingdom, and renamed their new subsidiary as Honda Racing.

It was announced on 5 December 2008 that Honda would be exiting Formula One with immediate effect due to the current economic crisis and were looking to sell their team. On 27 February 2009 it was announced that team principal Ross Brawn had led a management buyout of the Brackley team. The team raced successfully as Brawn GP in 2009, and was subsequently sold to Daimler AG and renamed Mercedes GP for the 2010 season.

Conor Cummins (born 27 May 1986 in Douglas, Isle of Man) is a British motorcycle racer. Conor rides extensively on the British Road Racing Circuit competing in the British Superstock Championship as well as his home event the Isle of Man TT.

Cummins began his career riding in the British Championship and the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup. However the lack of opportunities in these competitions led him to decide to make the switch to Road Racing.

Cummins picked up awards as the Fastest Newcomer at the North West 200, the Southern 100 and the Isle of Man TT. Cummins also won the Newcomers Race at the Ulster Grand Prix.

In 2007 Cummins became both Irish Superbike Road Race Champion and Irish Superstock Road Race Champion in a season that saw him record 13 Irish National Road Race wins. He finished second in 2 races at the Ulster Grand Prix as well as scoring a podium finish in the British Superbike Cup riding as a wildcard at Donington. At the Isle of Man TT Conor produced a series of sensational performances to record four Top 8 finishes including two 5th places. Also during the Superstock Race Conor claimed the record for the fastest local Isle of Man competitor after lapping at 18 minutes and 10.78 seconds from a standing start on lap 1. For all his success Conor claimed the Duke Road Race Rankings Champion.

Ben Townley (Born 12 December 1984) is a professional motocross rider originating from Taupo, New Zealand.

After claiming multiple National championships in his native New Zealand, Townley moved to Europe and began campaigning the MX2-GP World Championships. He rode for the German PHASE Suzuki team in 2001, but after internal troubles, left the team towards the end of the season and joined the Vangani Racing team. In 2002, this team became known as the "Dream Team" as Townley and teammates Tyla Rattray and Tanel Leok, all still teenagers, scorched to top 10 results in GP after GP. Townley started the 2002 off with a second place at the GP of Valkenswaard, and after a few more podium finishes, he scored his first GP victory at the GP of Sweden at Uddevalla. He continued his good form at the Champ KTM team in 2003, and made his mark as a definite word championship contender.

In 2004, riding the prototype KTM 250-SXF four stroke, Townley won the MX2 World Championship over teammates future champ Antonio Cairoli and teammates Tyla Rattray and Marc DeReuver. Townley had reached a new level of speed and endurance, winning nearly every race when his prototype machine did not fail.

Daniel "Dani" Pedrosa Ramal (born 29 September 1985 in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain) is a Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Pedrosa grew up in a village near Sabadell called Castellar del Vallès. He is the youngest world champion in 250cc Grands Prix. Pedrosa is 1.58m (5 ft 2in) tall and weighs 51 kg (112.4 lbs).

Dani Pedrosa started riding bikes at the early age of four, when he got his first motorcycle, an Italjet 50, which had side-wheels. His first racing bike was a minibike replica of Kawasaki, which he got at the age of six and which he used to race with his friends. Pedrosa experienced real racing at the age of 9, when he entered the Spanish Minibike Championship and ended his debut season in second place, scoring his first podium finish in the second race of the season. The next year, Pedrosa entered the same championship, but health problems prevented him from improving his results and he ended that season in 3rd position.

In 2001, Pedrosa made his World Championship debut in the 125cc class after being selected from the Movistar Activa Cup, a series designed to promote fresh racing talent in Spain, back in 1999. Under the guidance of Alberto Puig, Pedrosa scored two podium finishes in the first season and won his first race the following year, when he finished third in the championship. In 2003, he won five races and won the championship with two rounds remaining, scoring 223 points. In his first championship winning year, Pedrosa scored five victories and six podium finishes. A week after winning the championship, eighteen-year-old Pedrosa broke both of his ankles in a crash during practice at Phillip Island (Australia), ending his season.