Honda is making moves to consolidate its global motorsports operations under the banner of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), and the process will extend to the U.S.-based Honda Performance Development (HPD).
HRC was born out of Honda’s motorcycle racing program launched in the early 1980s. It operates out of Sakura, Japan, and is responsible for most of Honda’s motorsports programs outside 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 based in Santa Clarita, California. It handles motorsports programs across North America for both Honda and Acura, including Acura’s successful LMDh program.
Under the consolidation process, HPD will become HRC US. The transformation will be completed in time for the 2024 motorsports season. HPD branding on some of Honda’s road vehicles is expected to remain, however.
HRC US is new motorsports organization for Honda and Acura in North America
The move is more than simply symbolic as HRC and HRC US will combine their expertise and resources to support both Honda and Acura racing programs worldwide, including in Formula 1 where Honda serves as a power unit supplier.
Honda said HRC US will be involved in F1 power unit development and race support starting in 2026, when Honda becomes a power unit supplier to Aston Martin.
“Our goal is to increase the HRC brand and sustain the success of our racing activities and we believe that uniting Honda motorsports globally as one racing organization will help achieve that,” Koji Watanabe, HRC’s president, said in a statement. “Our race engineers in the U.S. and Japan will be stronger together and I am so happy to welcome our U.S. associates to the HRC team.”
