Honda HRC Announces Leadership Change: Koji Watanabe to Retire, Keiichi Ya to Take Over in 2027
Honda's racing arm will see a generational shift as long‑time boss Koji Watanabe steps down on 1 January 2027, with Keiichi Ya named his successor.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), the engine supplier behind Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri, has confirmed a major leadership transition. Koji Watanabe, who has overseen Honda’s Formula 1 and other motorsport programmes for more than two decades, will retire effective 1 January 2027. The company has appointed Keiichi Ya, a veteran of Honda’s power‑unit development team, as the incoming president of HRC.
Watanabe’s tenure has been marked by a remarkable resurgence for Honda in F1. After a period of withdrawal, the Japanese manufacturer returned in 2015, initially supplying McLaren before forming a successful partnership with Red Bull Racing in 2019. Under his stewardship, Honda achieved its first modern‑era victory at the 2021 British Grand Prix and secured back‑to‑back Constructors’ Championships in 2021 and 2022. His technical insight and long‑standing relationships within the sport have been credited with stabilising Honda’s power‑unit programme during a turbulent era of regulation changes.
Keiichi Ya, who currently leads the power‑unit division, will inherit a programme that is poised to continue its competitive trajectory. Ya has been instrumental in the development of the current RBPT‑branded power unit, which powers Red Bull and its sister team AlphaTauri. Industry insiders expect that his deep technical background will ensure a seamless handover and maintain the momentum Honda has built, especially as the sport moves toward the new engine regulations slated for 2026.
For Indian fans, the timing of this announcement is significant. The 2024 season will be the last full year under Watanabe’s leadership, and Indian viewers can follow the transition live on FanCode, which streams all F1 races in India with IST timings. The handover will occur during the off‑season, meaning the next season’s performance will be a key indicator of Ya’s impact. Indian audiences should watch the pre‑season testing in Bahrain (scheduled for early March) to gauge any early signs of change in the power‑unit performance.
Both Autosport and Motorsport.com reported the same details, confirming the credibility of the information. The move underscores Honda’s commitment to long‑term stability in its F1 partnership, a factor that could influence future technical collaborations and sponsorship opportunities in the Indian market.
Source: Autosport