Honda Racing (HRC) announced that President Watanabe Koji (渡辺 康治) will leave office effective 1 January 2027 and that current Executive Vice President Yasuda Keiichi (安田 啓一) is scheduled to become the new president. As the first step in the organisational reform, HRC is expected to continue operating under an integrated structure for the development and management of its two-wheel and four-wheel businesses.
The new HRC, which operates the two-wheel and four-wheel businesses within a single organisation, is said to have started in 2022, and President Watanabe (渡辺 康治) is said to regard the completion of the first step of this organisational integration as an achievement. It was explained that the appointment of his successor was based on Honda's policy rather than his own decision, and he indicated his intention to continue the handover to his successor after leaving office.
President Watanabe (渡辺 康治) explained why he chose a personnel change effective 1 January rather than 1 April, saying that an April change would be unsuitable because it would affect the start of the racing season. It was also decided that Fukao Yoichiro (深尾 洋一郎) would become LPL, changing from Tsunoda Satoshi (角田 哲史), with the completion of Spec 2 development cited as the timing.
Tsunoda's (角田 哲史) departure is not said to be a result of taking responsibility for poor results. His successor, Fukao (深尾 洋一郎), was selected with the intention of creating a structure capable of responding to changes in powertrain regulations from 2027 onward. President Watanabe (渡辺 康治) emphasised HRC's role as an integrated hub for the two-wheel and four-wheel businesses, and said he expected international negotiating skills and business acumen from Yasuda (安田 啓一).
This year's United States Grand Prix is said to be Honda's 500th F1 race, and a policy of continuing Honda's motorsport activities was indicated.