Honda Racing Corporation

Exclusively involved in motorcycle racing (1982–2022)

Initially, Honda's racing efforts were run from within the company. In 1973, the Racing Service Center (RSC) was created as a separate company involved in motorcycle racing. RSC was involved in the development and supply of racing bikes for domestic competitions, and in 1976 it began participating in the European endurance championship, which later became the FIM Endurance World Championship in 1980. In 1979, Honda returned to Grand Prix motorcycle racing with the NR500 bike developed by the NR block development team within Honda R&D. On 1 September 1982, the NR block and RSC were merged to form Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), which would be responsible for all of Honda's motorcycle racing programmes.

The addition of the NR block's pure racing machine development structure to the RSC's organisational structure, which had supported the activities of privateers by developing production-based works machines and supplying racing parts, created an efficient structure as a specialist company involved in the entire range of motorcycle racing activities from the top to the bottom. At the same time, the base for racing activities in Europe, which had its origins in the Isle of Man TT race in 1959, was moved from the island nation of Great Britain to mainland Europe in Belgium for greater convenience. Shoichiro Irimajiri, who was the general manager of the NR block, was appointed as the first president. By making HRC a separate company specialising in racing, the company was able to achieve continuous racing activities that were less dependent on the performance of the head office.

In an unusual move, the company developed and manufactured the RN-01, a dedicated mountain bike for downhill racing, and participated in competitions including the JCF Mountain Bike Japan Series and UCI Mountain Bike World Cup between 2003 and 2007. The material processing technology acquired during this time was utilised in the development of the seamless transmission for motorcycles, which was first used in the RC212V.

Expansion into automobile racing (2022–present)

On 1 April 2022, Honda's automobile racing activities were integrated into HRC's scope of work. As part of the integration, Honda's four-wheel motorsport development base HRD Sakura (a division of Honda R&D) was transferred to HRC and renamed HRC Sakura. The motorcycle division will remain based in Asaka, Saitama, while HRC Sakura (based in Sakura, Tochigi) will act as the automobile division. In line with this, HRC will also be responsible for Honda's Formula One operations.