Honda is making strikes to consolidate its international motorsports operations beneath the banner of Honda Racing Company (HRC), and the method will lengthen to the U.S.-based Honda Efficiency Improvement (HPD).
HRC was born out of Honda’s bike racing program launched within the early 1980s. It operates out of Sakura, Japan, and is answerable for most of Honda’s motorsports applications exterior of North America.
HPD is the official motorsports division of American Honda and has largely operated independently of HRC. It was established in 1993 and is predicated in Santa Clarita, California. It handles motorsports applications throughout North America for each Honda and Acura, together with Acura’s profitable LMDh program.
Beneath the consolidation course of, HPD will turn out to be HRC US. The transformation might be accomplished in time for the 2024 motorsports season. HPD branding on a few of Honda’s highway autos is predicted to stay, nonetheless.
HRC US is new motorsports group for Honda and Acura in North America
The transfer is greater than merely symbolic as HRC and HRC US will mix their experience and sources to assist each Honda and Acura racing applications worldwide, together with in Method 1 the place Honda serves as an influence unit provider.
Honda stated HRC US might be concerned in F1 energy unit growth and race assist beginning in 2026, when Honda turns into an influence unit provider to Aston Martin.
“Our aim is to extend the HRC model and maintain the success of our racing actions and we consider that uniting Honda motorsports globally as one racing group will assist obtain that,” Koji Watanabe, HRC’s president, stated in a press release. “Our race engineers within the U.S. and Japan might be stronger collectively and I’m so joyful to welcome our U.S. associates to the HRC staff.”