First Victim Of The HRC Crisis – Technical Director Takeo Yokoyama Has To Go
Categories: MotoGP
For many months, people have been asking when the first heads would finally roll at Honda Racing Corporation. Now, Technical Director Takeo Yokoyama has to go.
Although the Japanese will still be seen in the Honda box at Misano, his days at the Honda Racing Corporation are numbered.
Following the departure of Shuhei Nakamoto and Livio Suppo in 2018, HRC installed a MotoGP leadership trio comprising of Takeo Yokoyama, Shinichi Kokubo and Tetsuhiro Kuwata.
But Honda has now finished last in the Constructors’ World Championship twice in a row in 2020 and 2021. At the Sachsenring GP, for the first time since the Swedish GP in 1983, no Honda rider finished in the points in the “premier class”.
All MotoGP Hondas – Image provided by Motorsport Images
Since the Silverstone GP, it is now clear that Technical Director Takeo Yokoyama’s days are numbered. The Japanese played a big role in the on-track activities at HRC for about 15 years in MotoGP.
He will have to leave his job after this season at the latest. Whether he will be replaced or the former leadership trio will become a duo is not clear.
For Honda this is the first step for rejuvenating its MotoGP project. With Marc Marquez coming back for a 2023 title run, HRC is looking to build a bike that is capable of fighting for the win again.
