Honda Racing Corporation
From two wheels to four: HRC's legacy of racing excellence since 1982.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), also known as Honda Racing, is a motorsport subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company formed in 1982. From its founding, the company was initially solely responsible for Honda's motorcycle racing activities, before the brand's automobile racing activities were integrated into HRC's scope of work on 1 April 2022.
Quick Facts
- Notable factory riders
- Mick Doohan
- Dani Pedrosa
- Marc Márquez
- Factory base
- Asaka
- Saitama
- Japan
Lore & Background
HRC has been competing in Grand Prix motorcycle racing since the company's inception, winning over 20 constructors' titles in the premier class. It has also been involved in Formula One as a power unit manufacturer since 2022; in 2023, the Honda RBPTH001 unit claimed 21 wins in 22 races. In February 2023, the FIA confirmed that Honda, through HRC, would be a power unit manufacturer for the new regulations in 2026.
Reader's Guide
HRC is currently competing in the premier class of MotoGP as Honda HRC Castrol. It also supplied engines to the Moto2 class as a designated supplier until 2018. In addition, it supplies works-specification vehicles to Honda customer teams in the Moto3 class.
Did You Know?
- HRC was formed on 1 September 1982 by merging the NR block and the Racing Service Center (RSC).
- Shoichiro Irimajiri, the general manager of the NR block, was appointed as the first president of HRC.
- HRC developed and manufactured the RN-01, a dedicated mountain bike for downhill racing, between 2003 and 2007.
- On 1 April 2022, Honda's automobile racing activities were integrated into HRC, and HRD Sakura was renamed HRC Sakura.
- In December 2023, Honda Performance Development (HPD) became Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US).
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