Here is the thing, as Crash.net reports: Honda Racing Corporation is shaking up its leadership at the very top, setting the stage for a new era when major regulatory shifts hit global motorsport. Current President and CEO Koji Watanabe is stepping down, with his retirement officially taking effect on the 1st of January 2027.
Stepping into the President and CEO role is Keiichi Yasuda, who currently serves as Executive Vice President and Representative Director. Yasuda is stepping up with a clear mandate to build on the machine Watanabe leaves behind. "I consider it my mission to firmly inherit the solid foundation built by Watanabe," Yasuda said, pledging to align everyone toward the single goal of winning and to invest heavily in people and organizational strength.
Watanabe leaves behind a massive legacy at HRC. Back in 2020, as Honda's Chief Officer for Brand and Communication Operations, he began the monumental project of integrating automobile racing development into a company that was previously strictly a motorcycle racing enterprise. By 2022, he assumed the presidency of the newly unified HRC, overseeing an aggressive global expansion that included a return to Formula 1, the reorganization of HPD in the U.S. into HRC US, the establishment of HRC UK, and the elevation of the brand worldwide. Watanabe noted that he has three months remaining in his presidency and will push for victory until the very end.
This leadership transition arrives at a crucial juncture for the manufacturer's racing programs. HRC is charging toward 2027 as the power unit supplier for the Aston Martin Aramco team in Formula 1, where Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are confirmed to continue with the team. Meanwhile, on two wheels, the challenge continues in MotoGP with new regulations on the horizon and Fabio Quartararo arriving at the factory team for the new season.
