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Honda HRC Chief Koji Watanabe to Retire; Yasuda Named
123Helmets Editorial Team
Honda HRC chief Koji Watanabe will retire on 1 January 2027, the Japanese manufacturer announced on Monday, 5 October, naming Keiichi Yasuda as his successor as president and CEO of the Honda Racing Corporation. The change comes as Honda works with Aston Martin under the 2026 regulations.
Key Takeaways
Koji Watanabe retires as HRC president and CEO on 1 January 2027.
Keiichi Yasuda, currently executive vice president, becomes the new CEO.
Watanabe led HRC from 2022 and oversaw Honda’s return as Aston Martin’s power unit supplier for 2026.
Honda calls the move a planned periodic rotation of personnel.
What Honda announced
Honda announced on Monday, 5 October, that Koji Watanabe will retire as president and CEO of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) on 1 January 2027. Keiichi Yasuda will succeed him in the role.
HRC is the division that covers Honda’s Formula 1 power unit operation and its MotoGP programme.
Who is Keiichi Yasuda?
Keiichi Yasuda is HRC’s current executive vice president and representative director, and he will become CEO on 1 January 2027. Before that, he served as head of human resources within Honda’s racing division.
His promotion keeps the leadership of the racing arm in-house, moving from a vice-presidential role to the top position.
Watanabe’s tenure at HRC
Koji Watanabe took charge of Honda’s racing division in 2022, having been with the group since 1987. During his time in charge, HRC unified its car racing and motorcycle racing operations.
He also oversaw a reversal in Honda’s F1 strategy, which led to the manufacturer returning as official power unit supplier to Aston Martin for the 2026 regulations. Aston Martin’s 2026 car is the AMR26, driven by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
Honda’s explanation for the change
Honda describes the leadership change as a planned, periodic personnel rotation rather than a response to any specific event. The company said the move is intended to strengthen its management structure in response to global transformation and to accelerate business expansion for the next generation.
The source text cuts off before Watanabe’s own farewell remarks, so no further comment from him is reported here.
What it means for Aston Martin and F1
The source does not say the leadership change will alter Honda’s F1 commitment. It only confirms that the HRC chief role changes hands on 1 January 2027, after the current 2026 season ends.
Aston Martin’s partnership with Honda is the manufacturer’s headline F1 programme, so the transition will be watched in the paddock as the 2026 campaign continues. Fans who follow the sport’s driver and team stories can explore the Aston Martin collection and the Fernando Alonso collection.
“Essa mudança executiva faz parte de uma rotação periódica de pessoal planejada, destinada a fortalecer a estrutura de gestão em resposta à transformação global e a acelerar a expansão dos negócios para a próxima geração”
— Honda
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This article was written with the help of AI tools. Editorial policy
