Credit: Autosport

The car manufacturer wants to direct its attention elsewhere.

Honda is developer behind Red Bull Racing’s current Formula 1 racecar. It’s a beautiful vehicle, currently sitting in second place in the F1 constructor standings. Honda and Red Bull have certainly made a good team together, bringing in three victories in the previous racing season and two in the current one. However, it seems Honda has begun to pine for greener pastures, and has decided it’s time to quit while they’re ahead.

Honda announced today that they will be ending their involvement in the Formula 1 scene at the end of 2021. It’ll stick with Red Bull Racing during that period, working alongside development team Scuderia AlphaTauri, but afterward, the company will be redirecting that manpower to something a little more constructive: electric vehicles.

Honda has been on the fossil fuel side of automotive development for a while now, preferring the leave electrical vehicles to those interested in them. However, according to their announcement, the automotive industry is currently going through a “once-in-one-hundred-years” transition, with more and more focus being placed on EVs and fuel cells. Honda has learned a lot about fuel cells and electric engine technology during their time in the F1, and wants to put that knowledge to good use for the industry’s (and planet’s) future.

Credit: Thomas Peter/Reuters

In addition to funneling their F1 money into green power development, Honda now maintains a goal of reaching complete carbon neutrality for the entire company by the year 2050. With such a relatively short deadline, it only goes to show how serious Honda is about making this happen, a complete 180 from their previous attitude.

While 2021 will be the end of Honda’s involvement in the regular F1 circuit, they may not be done with the sport entirely. The Formula E circuit, strictly for electrical/fuel cell-powered vehicles, may tempt their participation at some point in the near future.