HRC announced that President Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治) will leave office on 1 January 2027 and that current representative director and executive vice president Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一) will become president. Until his departure, he will work to strengthen the global motorsports structure and prepare for the new organisation.
Honda Racing formally announced on 5 October that President Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治) will leave office on 1 January 2027 and that executive vice president Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一) will become representative director and president. Yasuda became executive vice president in April 2026, and the company indicated that it plans to introduce the new structure from 2027.
Watanabe Koji (渡辺康治) led the launch in 2020 of the new HRC integrating Honda’s two-wheel and four-wheel motorsports activities and is regarded as one of the central figures behind the decision to return to F1. In 2026, he promoted organisational restructuring including Honda’s works participation in F1 with Aston Martin and led the expansion of the global structure.
His successor, Yasuda Keiichi (安田啓一), built experience in human resources and the management of overseas subsidiaries after joining the company in 1990, served as general manager of the Human Resources Division in 2023, and became executive vice president in April 2026. Under the new structure, he indicated that the company will strengthen the organisation with the aim of winning and increase investment in talent. Watanabe will continue serving as president through the end of 2026, and the new structure will begin full operations in 2027.