Honda Motor Co.'s incoming chief executive has left the door open to the struggling Japanese manufacturer returning to formula one in the future. Under the stewardship of departing CEO Takeo Fukui and amid the brunt of the global financial crisis, Honda decided to pull out of the sport after the 2008 season, citing the need to "protect its core business activities".

But with Takanobu Ito set to take over in June, the future Honda CEO and president insisted that elite motor racing is "very challenging but also fun". “Unfortunately, our company has a slight cold right now. But we would like to cure this cold as quickly as possible and work towards reaching that happiness [of racing],” the 55-year-old explained in a press conference in Tokyo.

Honda contested grands prix as a standalone manufacturer in 1963-1968 and 2005-2008, but achieved its greatest success as a F1 engine supplier in the 80s and 90s.

Source: GMM