Wada to leave F1 in Honda reshuffle

Wada, general manager of Honda's Motor Sports Division since 2000, first joined the F1 team in 2005 while the Japanese manufacturer increased their involvement in the then BAR outfit.

His responsibilities grew when Honda bought the team outright for the start of the 2006 season, and he has worked closely with CEO Nick Fry since then. He was also the driving force behind Honda's decision to create Super Aguri.

From the start of April however, Wada will relinquish his responsibilities in motorsport and will instead become the general manager of the Public Relations Division at Honda Motor Company in Japan. It is thought that the Australian Grand Prix will be his last race in his current role.

The reasons for Wada's imminent move are not known, although they come against the backdrop of a troubled 2007 campaign and a big push to refocus the F1's team efforts on the back of the arrival of Ross Brawn as team principal.

A Honda Racing team spokesperson said: "Wada san has spent the past eight years with Honda Performance Development in the US, Honda Racing Development in the UK and Honda's Motor Sports Division at its Tokyo Headquarters.

"In keeping with the Honda Company philosophy, which encourages rotation within the various areas of the Honda business, Keita Muramatsu will now move to the position of General Manager, Motor Sports Division."

Further changes are to be made to the motorsport structure at Honda in Japan, with the company's operating officer Hiroshi Oshima taking on an extra role as Managing Officer with responsibility for Motor Sports and Circuit Business. Brawn and Fry both report to Oshima.