44. Masashi Yamamoto

Masashi Yamamoto took on the role of Honda F1 Managing Director. Yamamoto-san’s role means that he is now solely focussed on the Formula 1 operation, underlining just how important this project is to Honda, especially coming into such a crucial year as the 2020 season with Scuderia Alpha Tauri and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

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From 2016-18 Yamamoto-san was responsible for all Honda’s motorsport activities on 2 and 4 wheels. As General Manager of the Motorsport Department, Yamamoto oversaw Honda’s victories in several categories, such as Super GT and Super Formula in the domestic racing scene in Japan, which saw Honda win again for the first time in many years.

As Honda, we like to support Red Bull with what we can to give them a competitive power unit that means they can fight for championships. If we can give it to them then that would be really great

There will not be any Honda branding on the car or the engine, so it will be mixed feelings seeing the car that has a Honda power unit – the heart of the car is a Honda however it’s not really a Honda!

Masashi Yamamoto

Managing Director, Honda F1

Honda Racing adopted a new structure for its F1 programme from April 2019 onward with Masashi Yamamoto given a more specific role. In the new role, Yamamoto is now solely looking after the F1 programme as ‘Honda F1 Managing Director’, which the manufacturer describes as a change ‘underlining just how important this project is to Honda’, with two teams onboard.

Honda announced last October that its current spell in Formula 1, which began in 2015, will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2021 campaign. However, it reached an agreement for the newly-formed Red Bull Powertrains to take over its current power unit technology.

It means Honda’s power units, run by Red Bull Powertrains, will continue to propel Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri through 2024.