Honda Launches New Motorsports Division With Plans To Go To Le Mans

Toyota has long dominated the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, though Ferrari won the latest edition after five decades of absence. Another Japanese marque, Honda, could make the slugfest more interesting through the newly-established Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US).

HRC US is a joint venture of two independent racing arms – Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in Sakura, Japan, and Honda Performance Development (HPD) in Santa Clarita, CA. The aim is to expand Honda’s motorsport presence globally, with the 24 Hour of Le Mans a strong possibility.

HRC was established in 1982 as Honda’s motorcycle racing arm and later started managing the automaker’s Formula 1 program. Meanwhile, HPD was established in 1993 as a separate racing arm to take on IndyCar, IMSA, Baja Off-Road, Touring Cars, and Formula Regional America.