Spirit Racing

Spirit Racing was a racing car constructor and racing team from Britain, who participated in 25 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix between 1983 and 1985. The team scored no World Championship points, its best finish being seventh place at the 1983 Dutch Grand Prix.

Formula Two

Founded in 1981 by Gordon Coppuck and John Wickham, Spirit had a close relationship with Honda. Despite being relatively new entrants to the formula, Spirit were selected to use Honda's RA series 2-litre V6 engine in the European Formula Two Championship in 1982, running Thierry Boutsen (who won three rounds of the series) and Stefan Johansson.

Formula One

Honda were keen to move up to Formula One and Spirit modified the 201 F2 chassis to F1 spec and began a testing programme in November 1982 at Silverstone, planning to join the 1983 World Championship at mid-season. Honda were anxious to keep a low profile for the programme (much as they had been in 1964 for their previous Grand Prix team); thus Boutsen (seen as a rising star) was dropped in favour of Johansson (seen as a faded talent after a disappointing debut for Shadow in 1980). At Honda's behest the team avoided testing at the same time as other Formula One teams, largely at Willow Springs but also at Jacarepaguá into 1983.