After a seven-year hiatus, Honda Motor is returning to the F-1 circuits next year, resolving to win more races — and learn how to build “greener” cars.

Honda is particularly aiming to turn exhaust gas that is mostly wasted in F-1 or conventional cars into energy. It is technology that Honda’s F-1 chief, Yasuhisa Arai, says could give Honda an edge with its mass-market cars.