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During the 1990's Honda's only presence in Formula 1 was as an engine supplier for Lotus, Ligier, Prost and Jordan (with 4 Honda powered GP wins by the end of 1999) but in 1998 Honda seriously considered entering as a constructor and even went as far as to create a test car for the 1999 season, called the "RA099".
The car was built by Dallara and designed by ex-Ferrari and Tyrell designer Harvey Postlethwaite in 1999. It's purpose was similar to that of the 2001 Toyota TF101 in that it was a working test car used in preparation for a full-scale assault on Grand Prix racing in the following years.
Honda's last time competing in Formula 1 as a constructer was in the late 60's but they pulled out when Jo Schlesser was killed in a Honda RA300 at the 1968 French Grand Prix. They returned in 1983 as an engine supllier for Spirit and also had successful partnerships with Williams and McLaren in the 1980's.
When Honda stopped supplying engines in 1992, they worked with Mugen Motorsports to supply engines for Lotus, Ligier and Jordan but was not involved with F1 itself. In 1998 Honda hired Harvey Postlethwaite to design the car and got Dallara to manufacture it.
The car was tested by Jos Verstappen at Jerez with some success and the project was looking promising, with the RA099 setting competitive times alongside better funded and more established F1 teams however the project was abandoned after Postlethwaite's fatal heart attack at a Jerez testing session and the Dallara tubs were no longer required.
Honda moved back to supplying engines for BAR and Jordan in 2000 with some success. As the partnership grew, the input Honda had with BAR increased and, in the wake of tobacco advertising being banned in F1, Honda purchased the BAR team and they finally became a constructor again.
Of the six Dallara RA099 tubs, only four ever saw a race circuit. Currently the whereabouts of only one of those tubs is known, and it is the third one (RA099 3), last seen at the Honda collection hall at the Motegi circuit.
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