Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is set for a major leadership change, with current President and CEO Koji Watanabe due to step down on January 1, 2027.
He will be replaced by Keiichi Yasuda, Honda's Executive Vice President and Representative Director, marking the next phase for a racing division that has undergone significant changes during Watanabe's tenure.
Watanabe has led HRC since 2022, overseeing a period of major restructuring and expansion across Honda's global motorsport operations. His successor will inherit an organisation with ambitions spanning MotoGP, Formula 1 and several other racing categories.
Watanabe's five-year tenure has been defined by efforts to bring Honda's racing activities closer together. One of the biggest changes was the integration of the company's four-wheel and two-wheel racing operations under HRC, creating a more unified structure for its motorsport programmes.
Honda also made a significant change to its Formula 1 plans under Watanabe. After announcing its withdrawal from F1 at the end of 2021, the manufacturer reversed course and committed to returning under the new 2026 regulations as a works power unit partner to Aston Martin.
That return represents one of Honda's biggest commitments to global motorsport and places HRC at the centre of its F1 programme alongside its established two-wheel activities.
Watanabe's tenure also saw HRC strengthen its international presence. Honda Performance Development in the United States was reorganised as HRC US, while HRC UK was established to support the company's European racing activities.
Reflecting on his departure, Watanabe said he was honoured to have served as HRC president and would continue working towards victory during his remaining months in the role.
Yasuda will now take over an organisation that has expanded considerably under Watanabe. He has spent much of his career at Honda and previously held responsibilities related to human resources within the company's racing operations, giving him experience on both the management and organisational sides of the business.
Source: Honda Racing
Honda described the leadership change as part of a planned personnel rotation aimed at strengthening its management structure, responding to global changes and accelerating business growth for the next generation.
For Yasuda, maintaining the foundations established by Watanabe will be a key priority.
"I consider it my mission to firmly inherit the solid foundation built by Watanabe," Yasuda said, adding that he wants to unite the organisation around the common goal of winning races and make HRC even stronger.
His comments also point towards a strong focus on people and internal development, with Yasuda highlighting investment in employees and organisational strength as important steps towards future success.
The timing of the change is significant. Honda is entering a new era in Formula 1 with Aston Martin while continuing its long-standing MotoGP programme and other global racing commitments.
Yasuda therefore takes charge at a time when Honda's motorsport presence is broader and more ambitious than it was when Watanabe arrived in 2022.
The leadership change may bring a new approach, but Honda's central objective remains unchanged: turning its growing global racing operation into a stron
