Honda transfers technical director Kawauchi to its MotoGP test team

Honda has transferred its technical director Ken Kawauchi to its test team in MotoGP, Autosport can reveal.

Kawauchi joined the Japanese marque’s racing division at the start of the 2023 season from Suzuki, after its MotoGP project ceased a few months earlier.

Despite the high expectations that followed Suzuki’s success in winning the riders’ world championship title in 2020 with Joan Mir, the Japanese technician has not managed to change the course of Honda’s troubled MotoGP effort or close the gap to pacesetter Ducati.

Over the last year and a half, Kawauchi has acted as a link between Honda’s two workshops, the factory squad and the satellite LCR team managed by Lucio Checchinello.

But Kawauchi has switched to working within the test team, with the change already effective from the last few grands prix. The former Suzuki man’s presence inside the garage of Joan Mir and Luca Marini has most likely meant that no one noticed his change of role.

However, Honda confirmed the move to Autosport on Thursday, ahead of its home race at Motegi.

“Ken Kawauchi is now focused on working with the HRC test team in a technical role where he brings the experience and information gained from his time in racing,” it said.

“As the test team grows in importance, and is set to expand to three riders by 2025, it’s crucial to have someone experienced in all aspects of development.”

The technical director vacancy left by Kawauchi at the race squad has been filled by Mikihiko Kawase.

He has been promoted internally from Honda’s racing department HRC, which Kawase joined in 2012.

Honda is still in the middle of a major internal reshuffle. A year ago at Motegi, Shinichi Kokubu, who until then had been general technical director (a level above the Kawauchi role), left the MotoGP project and was replaced by Shin Sato.

Months later it was the turn of general manager Tetsuhiro Kuwata to leave his post, which is now held by Taichi Honda.

All these changes are understood to be aimed at improving the performance of the RC213V, for which the best result this season was a ninth place for Johann Zarco (LCR) last Sunday in Indonesia.