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In questa intervista: https://shinsho-plus.shueisha.co.jp/...watanabe/24156
Il presidente di Honda HRC conferma che la Honda non ha nessuna intenzione di ritirarsi dalla motogp...
Non ho passione di tradurla tutta..
The number of wins is staggering. As the Suzuka 8 Hours is positioned as one of Honda's most important races, the executives of HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), which is in charge of racing activities, will all attend Suzuka. HRC President Yasuharu Watanabe also entered the Suzuka race site on Saturday morning. The factory team, Team HRC with Japan Post, won the final race on Sunday, achieving their second consecutive victory.
But the problem is MotoGP. In the world's premier motorcycle road racing championship, Honda is currently in an unprecedented predicament.
At the end of the ninth round, the British GP, only one podium finish was achieved in the final race. The top rider in the rider ranking is 14th, and the manufacturer's ranking is 4th, more than a triple score behind Ducati. In the team standings, the factory Repsol Honda Team is at the bottom of all 11 teams. This result is probably the worst disaster ever in the history of HRC motorcycle road racing. Therefore, on the Saturday before the Suzuka 8 Hours race, we had an exclusive interview with HRC President Yasuharu Watanabe at Suzuka Circuit. How can we get out of our current predicament? We asked the top executive who oversees Honda's racing activities about their frank opinions and the road to recovery.
Mr. Watanabe was appointed president in the spring of 2022. Until then, HRC had been exclusively involved in motorcycle racing, but when it began to integrate four-wheel racing activities such as F1, the new HRC began to expand its scope of activities. When Mr. Watanabe assumed the post of president, he raised the following items as the four major pillars of this new HRC.
Basically, things are going according to plan. There are parts where I am fumbling and thinking about what to do, so I can't do everything right away. Nonetheless, from the beginning, I anticipated that there would be some difficulties in integrating motorcycles and automobiles into one racing company as HRC last spring.
For example, even at Honda Motor Co., Ltd., the main body, motorcycles and automobiles were developed without much involvement, and the cultures of motorcycles and automobiles were different. After working on both motorcycles and automobiles, I have come to realize that while each has its own strengths, there are areas that need improvement.
For example, in the case of motorcycles, I have accumulated a lot of experience in racing activities for HRC for a long time. The motorsports and motorcycle businesses are integrated, and this is well utilized in our products, as well as in our one-make races.
On the other hand, automobiles are certainly superior in terms of technology, but they are weak in the idea of what to do as a motorsports as a whole and how to link it well with business. I was reminded of the importance of complementing each other's strengths and points of improvement with two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles.
──In the case of motorcycles, the strengths are the experience and knowledge accumulated through continuous racing activities.
Putting aside whether it is a weakness or not, I think that we should have been actively promoting the exchange of two-wheeled and four-wheeled technology from the past. It is true that we have had some exchanges in the past, but now that we are more closely involved in technical exchanges, I feel that past exchanges were not sufficient. For example, the idea of new technology may have been limited due to the fact that motorcycles are too focused on unique ideas. Nowadays, for example, four-wheeled vehicles (technologies) are entering the fields of aerodynamics and engine combustion, and in doing so, ideas that are completely different from the conventional ones are emerging one after another. I think that the synergistic effect of motorcycles and automobiles has a positive impact on motorcycles.
──You mentioned that the two-wheeled and four-wheeled cultures are different, but does that cause any discrepancies in technical exchanges?
In the first place, motorcycles and automobiles each do their own thing, so in that sense, I don't think the people on the motorcycle side would want the automobiles to jump into it, and the same is true for the people on the car side. I think. That's why, instead of forcing us on the management side to force something, I would like them to voluntarily decide what they would choose when they see the same thing. So, I don't think it's a matter of us pushing motorcycle engineers to use this technology for four wheels.
──Mr. Watanabe, I have the impression that you frequently come to the race scene after taking office as president. For example, in this year's MotoGP, you were at the opening round in Portimao, Portugal, and in Mugello, Italy in June. Even in F1, I saw a video of him at the Red Bull Ring in Austria the other day. Do you often go to overseas races because you want to actively commit to the field?
I agree. I have always loved working on-site, but there are a mountain of items that need to be adjusted and discussed. It's not just an inspection visit, but there's a lot of content that really needs to be discussed, whether it's MotoGP or F1.
It's difficult to pinpoint the cause, but I think one of the reasons is that we haven't made any drastic changes to our methods because we've been a little restless about our past performance. We are working hard, but rather than changing the way we do things, we have been proceeding with development in a way that builds up. We are evolving step by step, but our competitors may be changing their development methods more drastically. As a result, while our competitors have made great strides, we are making progress on a cumulative basis, and I think that is the reason why we suddenly made a difference.
──I believe that this has become a phenomenon in the past year or two, but when did it start? When did the root of the problem start?
I don't know... I think it's difficult to specify when, but it may be quite a long time. In short, we haven't changed. Like I said, it's been building up. On the other hand, I think that the competition has changed significantly.
──In other words, is it because of external factors that made the competition stronger and Honda became relatively weaker, or did it happen due to internal factors within Honda?
it's difficult……. I think both. For example, the development of four-wheeled vehicles has changed significantly. By using a wealth of data, our simulation is quite complete at the stage of making the machine. On the other hand, motorcycles also naturally use data, but that is a way of building up the conventional method of prototyping actual vehicles and listening to opinions. That's not a bad thing, of course, but maybe we need a way to use more data.
──In order to do that, does something about HRC's motorcycle organization have to change drastically?
We are changing that now. By collaborating with automobiles, for example, I think it will be possible to incorporate the development flow of automobiles into motorcycles.
-In the past, Honda was so dominant in the Grand Prix paddock that it was said to be "too strong and uninteresting." For example, in the 1990s, when Mick Doohan won five consecutive victories and boasted the strongest 2-stroke 500cc era, Honda's machines overwhelmed other camps so much that they were ridiculed as the "NSR Cup."
Then superstar Valentino Rossi appeared and created the strongest era in the early days of 4-stroke 990cc. Rossi transferred to Yamaha and achieved the almost impossible task of overthrowing Honda, thereby maintaining his charismatic popularity. I made it for Eventually, a genius rider named Marc Márquez appeared in the generation below Rossi, and in the 2010s Honda once again created the strongest era of invincibility.
But that is now a long time ago. The current Honda camp, as mentioned at the beginning, continues to be in an unprecedented slump. In response to this slump, even gossip spread that Marc Márquez might leave Honda. How does HRC president Mr. Watanabe see this difficult situation in the Honda camp?
I have a great sense of danger. The Honda Group as a whole regards the current situation as a major problem. Including Honda Motor Co., Ltd. president Toshihiro Mibe, we believe that we must do something about this situation as soon as possible.
──How long do you think it will take, even if it is said to be as soon as possible?
I am aware that it will not be so easy. Currently, the development of the 2024 MotoGP machine is progressing rapidly, but with so many things to decide now, do we really understand all of our weaknesses? It's work while doing. If we can find it well, we will have a machine with reasonable fighting power in 2024. To be honest, I can't say that there is any proof yet.
──In this difficult situation, there are various rumors. Marquez denies it, but rumors that he may have been invited by other camps for next year, even if they are not true, the place where such rumors come out is the current Honda. It seems to symbolize the situation.
Well, I think you are right.
──This is a very rude way of saying it, but I get the impression that it is rumors and gossip, as if everyone is trying to escape from a sinking ship. If these rumors are groundless, how do you think we can break the status quo?
We have no choice but to build fast bikes and machines that can win. Every time I go to the MotoGP site, I always have a long talk with Marc. "We have to build and deliver the machine you want, and we'll do it as soon as possible." Also, "Since you will have your own timeline, if there is something that we do not agree with, it may be possible to make each decision at that time." .
However, both he and we have found a common goal in that, "But let's work together and work hard together without giving up until the end." I didn't talk about it at all.
──Among the various gossips circulating with uncertain reliability, some speculate out of curiosity that Honda may be withdrawing from MotoGP.
Well, let's deny it here and there. We will never withdraw.
We will openly reveal the difficult situation Honda is facing in MotoGP and future countermeasures without hiding anything. The timeline until the reversal offensive is not visible yet.
──You said earlier that Honda's development has progressed by accumulating, but in the past Honda has made very original ideas one after another, and has the attitude of ``winning with technology that cannot be imitated anywhere''. I think I was fighting with The elliptical piston NR500, Mick Doohan's Screamer engine, the 990cc MotoGP engine with the eccentric idea of making the angle of the V-5 cylinder 75.5 degrees and eliminating the need for a balancer, and the Unit Pro-Link were also around this time. Honda also pioneered seamless shift technology ahead of other camps. So why is it that Honda doesn't come up with such original ideas and groundbreaking innovations today?
This is a difficult task, but... Even in F1, when I returned in the fourth season, I was actually in tatters. In the end, we realized that we couldn't develop a four-wheel vehicle with just four wheels, so we brought in the jet department (for development). People with four wheels were at a loss to find a way to solve the problem with technology such as turbos. That's because Jet had a similar problem. So if we start using all Honda's power more, whether it's on two wheels or four wheels, I think we'll be able to broaden our horizons and develop new technologies.
──Are you currently working on something innovative?
It means the work to create the base, the environment creation. I'm not an on-site engineer, so I can't give instructions, but I think that having them join us will give us some good hints.
──In other words, in order to break through the current severe situation, we have to invest the so-called five management resources (people, money, goods, information, and time) as much as possible. I think, are you throwing concrete resources for that?
I am about to drop it.
──Specifically, what is the method? For example, make the budget thicker than before, or increase the number of people.
Budget and people are the quickest things to deal with. We are strengthening our development personnel to deal with people. This is an increase in the number of employees that has not been seen in recent years in MotoGP. We have to improve this season's machine, and we have to do things from next year onwards, so in order to avoid confusion between what we are doing now and what we are doing next year, we will increase the number of people to clearly separate them. , I'm doing that.
As for capital investment, we are looking at how much it will be necessary in the future, and since we can use four-wheeled equipment now, we aim to make improvements while doing so.
Anyway, how does Honda, the biggest party, perceive this concession treatment?
It should be the direction to get the consensus of everyone (manufacturers) participating there, so we naturally follow what was discussed there. As far as we are concerned, if the concession is applied, it will be a blessing because development will proceed better if it is applied. If there is no development opportunity, it will lead to the inability to operate a stable race at the race site, and it will also put a burden on the riders.
──Some people say that it is humiliating to receive such treatment, but does that mean that as HRC, you take "truth" over "name"?
As I said earlier, if everyone's consensus is the same, we can't say we won't take advantage of the opportunities we get. In other words, if a concession applies, we will.
──Does Honda and Yamaha just happen to be the two Japanese manufacturers that are struggling in the world of MotoGP? Alternatively, I think that the fact that the presence, market share, and competitiveness of Japanese companies in various industries has declined significantly in recent years may also be reflected in the world of motor sports.
I don't think so. This is just an individual problem, and at least for MotoGP there was a problem with our way of doing things. For example, we have produced the world's best pilots in the four-wheeled F1. Toyota also boasts a large number of sales worldwide. I don't think it's a matter of Japan's technical failure, but rather a matter of how it's done.
-If we look at the automotive industry from a higher perspective than in the racing world, the global trend is clearly shifting toward carbon neutrality. If the future racing world is to keep pace with the trend of the world aiming for a sustainable society, motor sports that use internal combustion engines that place a heavy burden on the environment, and HRC that makes a living from such motor sports. How will the activities of the company need to change in order to respond to the world of the future?
Without a doubt, we will not be able to continue (racing) unless we move forward in the direction of carbon neutrality. As for whether this is the direction of electrification, or whether we will race using carbon-neutral fuel that has a low environmental impact, it is still time to decide.
Among the four pillars that I explained at the beginning, there is an item called business contribution. The main body of the business is making a big shift toward electrification, so I think it is necessary to study and improve electric technology while making use of the field of racing. But the race has to be fun. However, it is true that there are parts that are difficult to find with just electric power, so for the time being, we will focus on the internal combustion engine and gradually learn about electric power while responding to carbon neutrality. I envision the outline of contributing to the business of the main unit.
──In terms of elemental technology, what is it like? Especially in the case of motorcycles, the amount and content of announcements by each company is still small, so there are many areas where it is not clear what the future of mass-produced vehicles will be. think. How will racing contribute to mass production car technology?
I think carbon-neutral fuel can be researched considerably in the race. As for motors, research and development of small, high-output motors can be done through racing. Also, as with F1, we can develop batteries, so I think we can link with the main business in various ways.
──You mentioned earlier that “racing must be fun”, but do you think there are conflicting elements between the direction of environmental sustainability and motorsports racing?
No, I don't think it should be the opposite.
──This is just my personal impression, but I think that motorsports, both four-wheeled and two-wheeled, have always had an outlaw-like element. Its outlaw-like charm is that by incorporating the idea of ``environment-friendly'' and ``towards a sustainable society,'' the wild charm that should have been in the race will gradually fade away and become harmless to humans and animals. I also feel that it is not.
You are right. However, unless technology overcomes this, the race itself will not be able to survive in the future. That's why we will tenaciously advance through research and development and racing activities. And with that tenacious work, we will look at electrification, use internal combustion engines, and aim for the desired future direction in various ways.
However, Mr. Koji Watanabe, whom I interviewed for this time, has a sincere and honest attitude rather than a tough-faced craftsmanship, and he tries to give a sincere and polite answer to the many rude questions I throw at him. It was impressive to see him. Knowing about his background, which has led him to his current position after serving as General Manager of the European Automobile Division and General Manager of Brand Communications Headquarters, it is easy to understand his sincere character. How Mr. Watanabe will demonstrate his management skills in the future to turn around the slump of Honda MotoGP, the ability and centripetal force to unify the group of two-wheel and four-wheel race engineers at the new HRC will be questioned. I wonder if there is.
When is the goal to revitalize Honda as a strong company by revitalizing motorcycle and automobile technology and human resource exchanges, achieving “drastic reforms” instead of “accumulating conventional models”, which is also mentioned in the Q&A session? We outsiders have not yet seen a concrete image of how it will be realized. The path to achieving it will surely take time, as was also mentioned in the question and answer session, and there will be a lot of trial and error in the process.
On Sunday, the day after this interview, HRC won the Suzuka 8 Hours race with overwhelming strength. But in order to resurrect MotoGP's mighty power, he probably doesn't have the luxury of basking in the afterglow of that victory. Mr. Watanabe and the people at HRC probably feel this most acutely.
Il presidente di Honda HRC conferma che la Honda non ha nessuna intenzione di ritirarsi dalla motogp...
Non ho passione di tradurla tutta..
HRC President Yasuharu Watanabe talks about the reason for Honda's critical slump in MotoGP
On the first weekend of August, the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race, also known as the Suzuka 8 Hours, was held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture. Honda is the camp that boasts the most wins of 29 times in this 44th race this year.The number of wins is staggering. As the Suzuka 8 Hours is positioned as one of Honda's most important races, the executives of HRC (Honda Racing Corporation), which is in charge of racing activities, will all attend Suzuka. HRC President Yasuharu Watanabe also entered the Suzuka race site on Saturday morning. The factory team, Team HRC with Japan Post, won the final race on Sunday, achieving their second consecutive victory.
But the problem is MotoGP. In the world's premier motorcycle road racing championship, Honda is currently in an unprecedented predicament.
At the end of the ninth round, the British GP, only one podium finish was achieved in the final race. The top rider in the rider ranking is 14th, and the manufacturer's ranking is 4th, more than a triple score behind Ducati. In the team standings, the factory Repsol Honda Team is at the bottom of all 11 teams. This result is probably the worst disaster ever in the history of HRC motorcycle road racing. Therefore, on the Saturday before the Suzuka 8 Hours race, we had an exclusive interview with HRC President Yasuharu Watanabe at Suzuka Circuit. How can we get out of our current predicament? We asked the top executive who oversees Honda's racing activities about their frank opinions and the road to recovery.
Mr. Watanabe was appointed president in the spring of 2022. Until then, HRC had been exclusively involved in motorcycle racing, but when it began to integrate four-wheel racing activities such as F1, the new HRC began to expand its scope of activities. When Mr. Watanabe assumed the post of president, he raised the following items as the four major pillars of this new HRC.
- Further enhancement of the Honda brand through motorsports activities
- Carbon neutral response to realize sustainable motor sports
- Focusing on activities to expand the base of motor sports
- Contribution to motorcycle and automobile business
Basically, things are going according to plan. There are parts where I am fumbling and thinking about what to do, so I can't do everything right away. Nonetheless, from the beginning, I anticipated that there would be some difficulties in integrating motorcycles and automobiles into one racing company as HRC last spring.
For example, even at Honda Motor Co., Ltd., the main body, motorcycles and automobiles were developed without much involvement, and the cultures of motorcycles and automobiles were different. After working on both motorcycles and automobiles, I have come to realize that while each has its own strengths, there are areas that need improvement.
For example, in the case of motorcycles, I have accumulated a lot of experience in racing activities for HRC for a long time. The motorsports and motorcycle businesses are integrated, and this is well utilized in our products, as well as in our one-make races.
On the other hand, automobiles are certainly superior in terms of technology, but they are weak in the idea of what to do as a motorsports as a whole and how to link it well with business. I was reminded of the importance of complementing each other's strengths and points of improvement with two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles.
──In the case of motorcycles, the strengths are the experience and knowledge accumulated through continuous racing activities.
Putting aside whether it is a weakness or not, I think that we should have been actively promoting the exchange of two-wheeled and four-wheeled technology from the past. It is true that we have had some exchanges in the past, but now that we are more closely involved in technical exchanges, I feel that past exchanges were not sufficient. For example, the idea of new technology may have been limited due to the fact that motorcycles are too focused on unique ideas. Nowadays, for example, four-wheeled vehicles (technologies) are entering the fields of aerodynamics and engine combustion, and in doing so, ideas that are completely different from the conventional ones are emerging one after another. I think that the synergistic effect of motorcycles and automobiles has a positive impact on motorcycles.
──You mentioned that the two-wheeled and four-wheeled cultures are different, but does that cause any discrepancies in technical exchanges?
In the first place, motorcycles and automobiles each do their own thing, so in that sense, I don't think the people on the motorcycle side would want the automobiles to jump into it, and the same is true for the people on the car side. I think. That's why, instead of forcing us on the management side to force something, I would like them to voluntarily decide what they would choose when they see the same thing. So, I don't think it's a matter of us pushing motorcycle engineers to use this technology for four wheels.
──Mr. Watanabe, I have the impression that you frequently come to the race scene after taking office as president. For example, in this year's MotoGP, you were at the opening round in Portimao, Portugal, and in Mugello, Italy in June. Even in F1, I saw a video of him at the Red Bull Ring in Austria the other day. Do you often go to overseas races because you want to actively commit to the field?
I agree. I have always loved working on-site, but there are a mountain of items that need to be adjusted and discussed. It's not just an inspection visit, but there's a lot of content that really needs to be discussed, whether it's MotoGP or F1.
Honda never quits MotoGP!
──What I wanted to ask you about this time is exactly that MotoGP. I think that the current situation is the most sluggish for HRC ever. I don't think I've ever seen the struggle so clearly from the outside. It's probably a combination of factors, but what do you think is causing this struggle?It's difficult to pinpoint the cause, but I think one of the reasons is that we haven't made any drastic changes to our methods because we've been a little restless about our past performance. We are working hard, but rather than changing the way we do things, we have been proceeding with development in a way that builds up. We are evolving step by step, but our competitors may be changing their development methods more drastically. As a result, while our competitors have made great strides, we are making progress on a cumulative basis, and I think that is the reason why we suddenly made a difference.
──I believe that this has become a phenomenon in the past year or two, but when did it start? When did the root of the problem start?
I don't know... I think it's difficult to specify when, but it may be quite a long time. In short, we haven't changed. Like I said, it's been building up. On the other hand, I think that the competition has changed significantly.
──In other words, is it because of external factors that made the competition stronger and Honda became relatively weaker, or did it happen due to internal factors within Honda?
it's difficult……. I think both. For example, the development of four-wheeled vehicles has changed significantly. By using a wealth of data, our simulation is quite complete at the stage of making the machine. On the other hand, motorcycles also naturally use data, but that is a way of building up the conventional method of prototyping actual vehicles and listening to opinions. That's not a bad thing, of course, but maybe we need a way to use more data.
──In order to do that, does something about HRC's motorcycle organization have to change drastically?
We are changing that now. By collaborating with automobiles, for example, I think it will be possible to incorporate the development flow of automobiles into motorcycles.
-In the past, Honda was so dominant in the Grand Prix paddock that it was said to be "too strong and uninteresting." For example, in the 1990s, when Mick Doohan won five consecutive victories and boasted the strongest 2-stroke 500cc era, Honda's machines overwhelmed other camps so much that they were ridiculed as the "NSR Cup."
Then superstar Valentino Rossi appeared and created the strongest era in the early days of 4-stroke 990cc. Rossi transferred to Yamaha and achieved the almost impossible task of overthrowing Honda, thereby maintaining his charismatic popularity. I made it for Eventually, a genius rider named Marc Márquez appeared in the generation below Rossi, and in the 2010s Honda once again created the strongest era of invincibility.
But that is now a long time ago. The current Honda camp, as mentioned at the beginning, continues to be in an unprecedented slump. In response to this slump, even gossip spread that Marc Márquez might leave Honda. How does HRC president Mr. Watanabe see this difficult situation in the Honda camp?
I have a great sense of danger. The Honda Group as a whole regards the current situation as a major problem. Including Honda Motor Co., Ltd. president Toshihiro Mibe, we believe that we must do something about this situation as soon as possible.
──How long do you think it will take, even if it is said to be as soon as possible?
I am aware that it will not be so easy. Currently, the development of the 2024 MotoGP machine is progressing rapidly, but with so many things to decide now, do we really understand all of our weaknesses? It's work while doing. If we can find it well, we will have a machine with reasonable fighting power in 2024. To be honest, I can't say that there is any proof yet.
──In this difficult situation, there are various rumors. Marquez denies it, but rumors that he may have been invited by other camps for next year, even if they are not true, the place where such rumors come out is the current Honda. It seems to symbolize the situation.
Well, I think you are right.
──This is a very rude way of saying it, but I get the impression that it is rumors and gossip, as if everyone is trying to escape from a sinking ship. If these rumors are groundless, how do you think we can break the status quo?
We have no choice but to build fast bikes and machines that can win. Every time I go to the MotoGP site, I always have a long talk with Marc. "We have to build and deliver the machine you want, and we'll do it as soon as possible." Also, "Since you will have your own timeline, if there is something that we do not agree with, it may be possible to make each decision at that time." .
However, both he and we have found a common goal in that, "But let's work together and work hard together without giving up until the end." I didn't talk about it at all.
──Among the various gossips circulating with uncertain reliability, some speculate out of curiosity that Honda may be withdrawing from MotoGP.
Well, let's deny it here and there. We will never withdraw.
We will openly reveal the difficult situation Honda is facing in MotoGP and future countermeasures without hiding anything. The timeline until the reversal offensive is not visible yet.
──You said earlier that Honda's development has progressed by accumulating, but in the past Honda has made very original ideas one after another, and has the attitude of ``winning with technology that cannot be imitated anywhere''. I think I was fighting with The elliptical piston NR500, Mick Doohan's Screamer engine, the 990cc MotoGP engine with the eccentric idea of making the angle of the V-5 cylinder 75.5 degrees and eliminating the need for a balancer, and the Unit Pro-Link were also around this time. Honda also pioneered seamless shift technology ahead of other camps. So why is it that Honda doesn't come up with such original ideas and groundbreaking innovations today?
This is a difficult task, but... Even in F1, when I returned in the fourth season, I was actually in tatters. In the end, we realized that we couldn't develop a four-wheel vehicle with just four wheels, so we brought in the jet department (for development). People with four wheels were at a loss to find a way to solve the problem with technology such as turbos. That's because Jet had a similar problem. So if we start using all Honda's power more, whether it's on two wheels or four wheels, I think we'll be able to broaden our horizons and develop new technologies.
──Are you currently working on something innovative?
It means the work to create the base, the environment creation. I'm not an on-site engineer, so I can't give instructions, but I think that having them join us will give us some good hints.
──In other words, in order to break through the current severe situation, we have to invest the so-called five management resources (people, money, goods, information, and time) as much as possible. I think, are you throwing concrete resources for that?
I am about to drop it.
──Specifically, what is the method? For example, make the budget thicker than before, or increase the number of people.
Budget and people are the quickest things to deal with. We are strengthening our development personnel to deal with people. This is an increase in the number of employees that has not been seen in recent years in MotoGP. We have to improve this season's machine, and we have to do things from next year onwards, so in order to avoid confusion between what we are doing now and what we are doing next year, we will increase the number of people to clearly separate them. , I'm doing that.
As for capital investment, we are looking at how much it will be necessary in the future, and since we can use four-wheeled equipment now, we aim to make improvements while doing so.
If a concession applies, I will gladly accept it
One of the hottest topics in the development of MotoGP right now is whether to apply concessions (preferential treatment) to Honda and Yamaha. In order to improve the competitiveness of the Japanese companies, which are greatly behind European manufacturers such as Ducati, Aprilia, and KTM, by relaxing development regulations, it is a measure to make it easier for them to catch up by putting on technical geta. is. In order to implement this, it is necessary to change the current technical regulations, which will require the agreement of all participating companies.Anyway, how does Honda, the biggest party, perceive this concession treatment?
It should be the direction to get the consensus of everyone (manufacturers) participating there, so we naturally follow what was discussed there. As far as we are concerned, if the concession is applied, it will be a blessing because development will proceed better if it is applied. If there is no development opportunity, it will lead to the inability to operate a stable race at the race site, and it will also put a burden on the riders.
──Some people say that it is humiliating to receive such treatment, but does that mean that as HRC, you take "truth" over "name"?
As I said earlier, if everyone's consensus is the same, we can't say we won't take advantage of the opportunities we get. In other words, if a concession applies, we will.
──Does Honda and Yamaha just happen to be the two Japanese manufacturers that are struggling in the world of MotoGP? Alternatively, I think that the fact that the presence, market share, and competitiveness of Japanese companies in various industries has declined significantly in recent years may also be reflected in the world of motor sports.
I don't think so. This is just an individual problem, and at least for MotoGP there was a problem with our way of doing things. For example, we have produced the world's best pilots in the four-wheeled F1. Toyota also boasts a large number of sales worldwide. I don't think it's a matter of Japan's technical failure, but rather a matter of how it's done.
-If we look at the automotive industry from a higher perspective than in the racing world, the global trend is clearly shifting toward carbon neutrality. If the future racing world is to keep pace with the trend of the world aiming for a sustainable society, motor sports that use internal combustion engines that place a heavy burden on the environment, and HRC that makes a living from such motor sports. How will the activities of the company need to change in order to respond to the world of the future?
Without a doubt, we will not be able to continue (racing) unless we move forward in the direction of carbon neutrality. As for whether this is the direction of electrification, or whether we will race using carbon-neutral fuel that has a low environmental impact, it is still time to decide.
Among the four pillars that I explained at the beginning, there is an item called business contribution. The main body of the business is making a big shift toward electrification, so I think it is necessary to study and improve electric technology while making use of the field of racing. But the race has to be fun. However, it is true that there are parts that are difficult to find with just electric power, so for the time being, we will focus on the internal combustion engine and gradually learn about electric power while responding to carbon neutrality. I envision the outline of contributing to the business of the main unit.
──In terms of elemental technology, what is it like? Especially in the case of motorcycles, the amount and content of announcements by each company is still small, so there are many areas where it is not clear what the future of mass-produced vehicles will be. think. How will racing contribute to mass production car technology?
I think carbon-neutral fuel can be researched considerably in the race. As for motors, research and development of small, high-output motors can be done through racing. Also, as with F1, we can develop batteries, so I think we can link with the main business in various ways.
──You mentioned earlier that “racing must be fun”, but do you think there are conflicting elements between the direction of environmental sustainability and motorsports racing?
No, I don't think it should be the opposite.
──This is just my personal impression, but I think that motorsports, both four-wheeled and two-wheeled, have always had an outlaw-like element. Its outlaw-like charm is that by incorporating the idea of ``environment-friendly'' and ``towards a sustainable society,'' the wild charm that should have been in the race will gradually fade away and become harmless to humans and animals. I also feel that it is not.
You are right. However, unless technology overcomes this, the race itself will not be able to survive in the future. That's why we will tenaciously advance through research and development and racing activities. And with that tenacious work, we will look at electrification, use internal combustion engines, and aim for the desired future direction in various ways.
[After the interview]
From the point of view of those of us interviewing the site, the successive people who led the HRC, which oversees Honda motorcycle racing activities, are stubborn and difficult to deal with, but on the other hand, they are also friendly and unadorned. I think there were many people with a craftsmanship.However, Mr. Koji Watanabe, whom I interviewed for this time, has a sincere and honest attitude rather than a tough-faced craftsmanship, and he tries to give a sincere and polite answer to the many rude questions I throw at him. It was impressive to see him. Knowing about his background, which has led him to his current position after serving as General Manager of the European Automobile Division and General Manager of Brand Communications Headquarters, it is easy to understand his sincere character. How Mr. Watanabe will demonstrate his management skills in the future to turn around the slump of Honda MotoGP, the ability and centripetal force to unify the group of two-wheel and four-wheel race engineers at the new HRC will be questioned. I wonder if there is.
When is the goal to revitalize Honda as a strong company by revitalizing motorcycle and automobile technology and human resource exchanges, achieving “drastic reforms” instead of “accumulating conventional models”, which is also mentioned in the Q&A session? We outsiders have not yet seen a concrete image of how it will be realized. The path to achieving it will surely take time, as was also mentioned in the question and answer session, and there will be a lot of trial and error in the process.
On Sunday, the day after this interview, HRC won the Suzuka 8 Hours race with overwhelming strength. But in order to resurrect MotoGP's mighty power, he probably doesn't have the luxury of basking in the afterglow of that victory. Mr. Watanabe and the people at HRC probably feel this most acutely.
ma poi ci sono altre cose che sono ben differenti ... si potrebbe dire addirittura Contrarie ...
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