Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has announced the relocation of general manager Tetsuhiro Kuwata from the MotoGP division to the automobile sector, marking the latest development in the brand's ongoing restructuring efforts.
Kuwata's move to the car division is part of Honda's broader restructuring initiative, which has been underway for over a year and is expected to continue beyond his departure. Effective until April 1st, Kuwata will be succeeded by Taichi Honda, formerly of the off-road department and recently overseeing the Dakar Rally team.
While Honda emphasizes that Kuwata's relocation isn't directly tied to MotoGP performance, it's hard to ignore the context of recent struggles in the premier motorcycle racing series, compounded by Marc Marquez's departure. Notably, Honda's last victory was achieved by Alex Rins at the United States Grand Prix in the prior season, with the manufacturer finishing last in the constructors' standings despite fielding twice as many bikes as Yamaha.
Kuwata, who has been involved in the MotoGP project since 2010, initially joining as a development strategy engineer before assuming the role of general manager for all racing divisions in 2016, leaves behind a legacy of significant contributions to Honda's racing endeavors.
His departure follows a series of changes within Honda's MotoGP technical leadership, including the replacement of Shinichi Kokubu by Shin Sato as technical manager and the relocation of technical director Takeo Yokoyama to the company's Tokyo headquarters.
With Honda striving to reclaim its position at the top of MotoGP following a title drought since 2019, the upcoming season presents new challenges and opportunities for riders Joan Mir and Luca Marini, who are grappling with the inherent difficulties of the RC213V bike.