Honda has made changes in its organizational chart as a step prior to the beginning of its association with Toro Rosso in the Formula 1. Under a new structure, Toyoharu Tanabe will assume responsibility for the project of Formula 1 through the new position of Technical Director, being removed from the title of Responsible of the project of Formula 1 that up until now was Yusuke Hasegawa. This last will pass to the position of Chief Engineer, Executive at Honda R & D (Research and Development), which in practice means their exit from the division of sports of the brand.
Toyoharu Tanabe, which will be the third head of Honda in F1 in three years going to Arai, and Hasegawa, began his professional career in 1984 within the Honda Motor Company, moving in 1990 to the post of Engineer assigned to the McLaren-Honda, Gerhard Berger. In 1993 he was posted to the project of engines for the IndyCar, returning to Formula 1 in 2003 to work as Chief Engineer on the car of Jenson Button, inside the computer BAR.
Between 2004 and 2007 he alternated that role with that of Manager of a test team, becoming the Head of the Project the following year. But the sudden decision of Honda leaving Formula 1 was the Tanabe out relocating in the program of development of mass-production engines. In 2013 he returned to the united States to become Manager and Chief Engineer of Honda Performance Development, the u.s. division of Honda, and that so much success has had in the last few years in IndyCar.
Katsuhide Moriyama, Director of Operations and Communication of Honda Motor Company, has declared in the official statement that “in the past, the project manager of F1 assumed responsibility for technology development and the leadership of the team in the competition. By separating both areas, we will develop our structure so that both the development team, as the of competition, to assume their respective responsibilities with utmost haste. To ensure that both fulfill their purpose, Honda will continue with their challenges so that fans can enjoy seeing Toro Rosso-Honda compete at the highest level without any further delay. Thank you for your constant support”, he said to finish.
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