Goto-san

A student of mechanical engineering at Tokyo’s Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering, Osamu Goto, here-above with Alain Prost in 1988, graduated in March 1970 and joined the elite of the research department of Honda Motor Company.

In 1986 and 1987, Goto led the Honda engineering team to victories with Williams (and the world drivers’ title in 1987 for Piquet) in the World Constructors’ Championship. These successes led to Goto being put in charge of all F1 engine development – notably the remarkable normally aspired Honda V10 engine.

At the end of 1987 Honda left Williams to start a new relationship with McLaren. It would be one of the most successful partnerships in racing history, combining the engineering brilliance of Honda and McLaren and the exceptional driving skills of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

The result was 44 victories in 74 races – Senna collecting 30 wins, Alain Prost 11 and Gerhard Berger 3. McLaren-Honda won the Constructors’ titles in 1988-89-90-91. Picture below: Osamu Goto next to Ayrton Senna in his McLaren-Honda MP4/4 in 1988.