Who drove Honda to its first Formula One Grand Prix win in 1965?

Richie Ginther drove Honda to its first Formula One Grand Prix win at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. He led every lap of the race for Honda.

The victory came on October 24, 1965, at Mexico City’s Magdalena Mixhuca circuit. Ginther started third in the Honda RA272 and moved into the lead at the beginning, taking advantage of the car’s strong high-altitude performance and the retirements of several leading competitors.

Ginther finished ahead of Dan Gurney’s Brabham-Climax and Mike Spence’s Lotus-Climax. The result was Honda’s first Formula One World Championship victory, the first for a Japanese constructor, and Ginther’s only Grand Prix win. Honda had entered Formula One as a full constructor with the RA271 in 1964.

The answer is sometimes confused with Ronnie Bucknum, who was Honda’s other driver and finished fifth in the same race. John Surtees and Jack Brabham were also prominent 1965 competitors, but neither drove Honda to this landmark victory.