Honda Racing Corporation (Honda) has officially announced that its current President and CEO Koji Watanabe will retire at the end of the year. The top leadership of the Japanese manufacturer's racing division will be handed over to Keiichi Yasuda, who is set to take over as the new CEO starting January 1. This high-profile executive transition marks a crucial new chapter for Honda's global motorsport operations as they prepare for major regulatory shifts.
Koji Watanabe is a veteran employee who first joined the Japanese marque back in 1987 before eventually taking over as the head of Honda's racing division in 2022. Throughout his tenure, Watanabe oversaw the monumental merger of the company's four-wheel and two-wheel motorsport activities. Furthermore, he played a pivotal role in orchestrating Honda's major U-turn regarding Formula 1, steering the brand back into the pinnacle of motorsport as a works partner for Aston Martin ahead of the 2026 regulations.
Taking over the reins is Keiichi Yasuda, who currently serves as the Executive Vice President and Representative Director. Yasuda also brings valuable internal experience from his previous role as the head of HR within Honda's racing division. According to the official statement released by Honda, this executive change forms part of a planned periodic personnel rotation designed to strengthen the management structure in response to global transformation and to accelerate future business expansion.
Reflecting on his time at the helm, Koji Watanabe expressed deep gratitude for his journey leading the unified racing division. "It is my honour serving as a president of HRC with the wonderful colleagues," Watanabe stated. He highlighted key milestones achieved during his presidency, including the expansion of the global motorsport structure by reorganizing HPD in the U.S. into HRC US and establishing HRC UK, while vowing to push for victory until his final three months conclude.
Looking ahead to his upcoming responsibilities, Keiichi Yasuda outlined his primary objectives for the organization. "I consider it my mission to firmly inherit the solid foundation built by Watanabe," Yasuda said. As reported by Motorsport.com, he emphasized his commitment to uniting everyone toward the singular goal of winning races while leveraging his management background to heavily invest in people and reinforce the team's overall structure.
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