With its recent acceptance of a HondaJet Elite, Italian Formula One team Scuderia AlphaTauri is now powered by Honda on the track and in the air. The Red Bull-sponsored F1 team has relied on engines and engineering from Honda Motor since its inception, so “it was only natural” for the team to fly on a Honda aircraft.

After the team's very light jet arrived at Honda Aircraft dealer Rheinland Air Service (RAS) in mid-August at Germany’s Mönchengladbach Airport, RAS provided the Flying Bulls with HondaJet pilot base training. RAS is the exclusive European HondaJet dealer, as well as an EASA- and FAA-authorized service center.

“It was an exciting time, watching the Flying Bulls welcome their custom-painted aircraft—another jet joining the growing European fleet of new HondaJets, more than 150 worldwide,” said RAS CEO Johannes Graf von Schaesberg. After its brief stay in Germany, the HondaJet was flown to its new Salzburg, Austria base at Red Bull’s famous Hangar-7, which is home to a collection of unique airplanes and helicopters.

Notably, turbine engineers from Honda Aircraft collaborated on turbocharger improvements in the latest Spec 3 engine upgrade to Red Bull’s F1 race car. Both the car and jet share other engineering similarities, including advanced aerodynamics and carbon composite construction

Scuderia AlphaTauri said the Hondajet is perfect for European routes such as London to Cannes, Geneva to Frankfurt, and Milan to Paris. “The HondaJet is ideal because it is particularly efficient on short- and medium-distance routes,” it added. “It will be used by Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri as part of our Formula 1 cooperation.”