Honda is selling the final V10 engine that Ayrton Senna raced, which stands as top-tier Formula 1 memorabilia.
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Ayrton Senna's final Honda V10 Formula 1 engine, the RA100E with serial number V805, is set to go under the hammer at Bonham’s Quail Auction on August 15, 2025, during Monterey Car Week in Carmel, California. This engine holds significant historical value as it was the final V10 unit Senna raced before Honda switched to V12 engines.
Used in the last two rounds of the 1990 F1 season, the engine powered Senna's McLaren MP4/5B at the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and the Australian Grand Prix. At Suzuka, Senna won the race, securing the World Championship, and in Australia, he took pole position but retired due to a gearbox failure during the race while still using the V805 engine.
The engine's specs include a 3,498cc displacement, a 72-degree V10 configuration, a 93.0mm bore, a 51.5mm stroke, and a 12.4:1 compression ratio. It produced around 680 horsepower at 12,800 rpm.
Honda Racing Corporation is offering the engine, beautifully disassembled and displayed in a custom cabinet, for public auction. Normally, engines were sent back to Japan for teardown and analysis, but V805 was preserved because Honda was developing the V12, and it remained stored in a Honda warehouse for decades before being carefully disassembled and put into a glass display case for preservation.
The engine represents the end phase of Honda’s successful V10 era in Formula 1, sandwiched between their earlier turbo V6 engines and the subsequent V12s. Honda engines were undefeated in Formula 1 over six consecutive years from 1986 to 1991, highlighting the dominance of this powertrain lineage during that period.
The auction has no reserve and estimates the engine’s value at $80,000-$120,000, though enthusiasts and experts speculate the final price might exceed $250,000 due to its immense historic and engineering significance and its association with Senna, one of the most revered F1 drivers ever.
Supporting visual documentation includes a detailed, nearly 50-minute teardown video by 4Drive Time, which showcases every step of disassembling the engine, revealing the intricate internal components of this iconic power unit. Honda also published high-quality 4K footage showing the disassembly process.
V805 is considered one of the most historically significant F1 engines ever to reach public auction due to its association with Ayrton Senna and being his final race engine with Honda V10 power. The engine's authenticity is confirmed by a certificate from Honda Racing Corporation.
References:
- 4Drive Time Teardown Video
- Honda's 4K Footage of the Disassembly Process
- Bonhams Auction Announcement
- Article on Senna's 1990 World Championship Win
- Article on Senna's Australian Grand Prix Retirement
- The extraordinary engine, once powering Ayrton Senna's McLaren in the final races of the 1990 Formula 1 season, embodies a unique blend of motors and style in the realm of general-news and sports.
- The Bonham's Quail Auction, slated for August 15, 2025, during Monterey Car Week, offers a glimpse into the transformative technological advancements in racing, with Honda's V10 RA100E engine, V805, lying at the heart of this showcase.
- As lifestyles and interests evolve, the auction marks an opportunity for enthusiasts and experts to immerse themselves in the rich history of Formula 1, bidding on this iconic artifact that underscores the merging of significant engineering accomplishments with the enduring legacy of Ayrton Senna.
