Honda names Keiichi Yasuda to succeed HRC chief Watanabe

Honda Racing Corporation president and chief executive Koji Watanabe will retire effective January 1, 2027, and current executive vice president Keiichi Yasuda will succeed him, Honda announced Monday. The leadership change places Yasuda in charge of the company’s motorsport organization as it prepares for its next season across racing programs. Honda described the appointment as part of a planned periodic personnel rotation, saying the change is intended to strengthen management in response to global transformation and accelerate business expansion for the next generation. The company did not specify any changes to HRC’s racing programs as part of the announcement. Yasuda currently serves as HRC’s executive vice president and representative director. In comments accompanying the announcement, he said he intends to build on the organization Watanabe leaves behind, with a focus on investing in people and strengthening HRC. Honda’s statement did not detail any immediate operational changes under Yasuda or outline his priorities beyond those remarks. Watanabe has led HRC since 2022, when Honda unified its automobile and motorcycle motorsport activities under the organization.