Honda Racing (HRC) announced that its president will change on 1 January 2027, with current president Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治) leaving office and Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一) becoming the new president. The change is intended to strengthen the management structure in response to a period of global transformation and accelerate the development of next-generation businesses.
Honda Racing’s board of directors decided to change its representative director and president and implement other executive personnel changes on 1 January 2027. Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治), who is leaving office, will do so on the same date, and current representative director and executive vice president Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一) will become the new president.
Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治) joined Honda’s headquarters in 2020 as an executive officer, head of the Brand Communications Division and general manager of the Public Relations Department, overseeing brand strategy including motorsports. He became president of HRC in 2022 and has promoted the integration of four-wheel racing and the expansion of HRC’s global motorsports structure.
The new president, Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一), has built his career primarily in human resources since joining the company in 1990 and has overseas work experience. From 2023, he oversaw reforms to human-resources systems and talent strategy, and became HRC’s representative director and executive vice president in April 2026. He will operate the new structure from 2027.
HRC described the change as part of a regular personnel rotation aimed at strengthening its management structure in response to global transformation and accelerating next-generation business development. The company intends to begin the 2027 season under the new structure in line with the motorsports calendar. Under new president Yasuda, it is expected to strengthen racing activities by applying his experience in overseas business and talent and organisational management.