The race debut of the new Honda HRC PRELUDE-GT is fast approaching. For the upcoming season, Honda is not only introducing a new car but also refreshing its operational structure. A new Technical Director (TD) role has been established for race operations, with Akihiro Hasegawa appointed to the position. As TD, Hasegawa will oversee the technical aspects of all five GT500 teams.

“My role is to strengthen the collaboration between the drivers and race teams running the PRELUDE-GT and Honda Racing (HRC), which developed the car. By delivering feedback from the track to the development side more quickly, we aim to achieve better race results,” said Hasegawa.

Hasegawa joined Honda in 2002 and spent around four years in production car development before moving to the motorsports division in 2006, where he has primarily worked in chassis development. A lifelong motorsport enthusiast, he had always aimed to work in racing.

“While I have listened to feedback from teams and drivers during car development, I felt that we need even closer collaboration if we are to compete with rival manufacturers going forward.”

As part of this new approach, HRC has assigned a dedicated engineer to Team HRC ARTA MUGEN’s No.8 car for the 2026 season.

“There was a sense of frustration that feedback from the teams was not always fully reflected on the development side. To truly understand what the car lacks, the best way is to join the team and fight together. Every car has its strengths and weaknesses, and in racing, it’s about how to maximise those strengths and minimise the weaknesses. By working closely with the teams, we believe HRC can help extract the full potential of Honda’s cars.”

In pre-season testing, the PRELUDE-GT left a strong impression, combining the cornering performance of the NSX-GT with the straight-line speed of the CIVIC TYPE R-GT. Further refinement of this balance will continue through to the season opener, involving Hasegawa and all five GT500 teams.

“The PRELUDE name carries a strong following, and we are bringing it back to compete in SUPER GT. We want to deliver results that meet our fans’ expectations. Our target is a pole-to-win at the opening round, but our rivals have highly refined cars and teams, so it will not be easy. Even so, with this new approach, we will work closely with our teams and drivers to develop and refine the car as much as possible.”

The opening round of the SUPER GT season will take place at Okayama International Circuit from 11–12 April.