US Honda Performance Development Now Global

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Honda Racing Corporation* (HRC) in Sakura, Japan, and Honda Performance Development** (HPD) in Santa Clarita, CA, jointly announced today that HPD will formally become Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) starting with the 2024 motorsports season. With this change, HRC US will play a role in Honda’s global motorsports activities, which Honda said includes contributing to the company’s Formula One (F1) program.

AutoInformed suspects that we will ultimately hear from General Motors and Honda, perhaps as suppliers to the New Andretti Formula One Team that is currently under FIA consideration. (AutoInformed: Alpine, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Red Bull Ford, Mercedes-AMG are V6 Power Unit Suppliers for Formula One in 2026)

“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,” said Koji Watanabe, the president of HRC Japan. “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.”

HRC’s auto racing development center in Japan currently supports Red Bull Powertrains for F1 power units and contribute to world championship victories. Starting in 2026, HRC will partner with the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 team as the official engine supplier. With three F1 races now in the US (Austin, Miami, Las Vegas), the new HRC US will be involved in Formula One power unit development and race support starting in 2026.

The 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona, scheduled for January 27-28, will mark the inaugural race for the new HRC US, with the defending champion Acura ARX-06 prototypes to sport HRC logos on their racing liveries.

*HRC was established in Japan in 1982 as Honda’s motorcycle racing arm, and is recognized for more than 40 years of championship racing heritage in pinnacle global racing categories such as WGP/MotoGP, Superbike, Motocross, World Trial and the Paris Dakar rally. In 2022, HRC added auto racing including Honda’s F1 program to its responsibilities, with the Sakura Center dedicated for auto racing and Asaka Center focused on motorcycle racing.

**HPD was established by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1993, as a separate racing arm to compete in the IndyCar series. For 30 years, HPD has competed in various racing series including IndyCar, IMSA, Baja Off-Road, Touring Cars, and Formula Regional America. Through HPD, Honda has 280 wins from 510 races in IndyCar competition, including 180 wins from 410 events with multi-manufacturer competitions. At the Indianapolis 500, Honda has won 15 times, nine with multi-manufacturer competition. Honda has won 13 Drivers’ Championships and 10 Manufacturers’ Championships in years with multi-manufacturer competition. HPD also has led the Acura brand to three consecutive wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and three IMSA Manufacturers’, Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships since 2018.