People

Shoichi Tanaka

Tanaka joined Honda at the age of 23 and five years later was appointed commercial director of Honda do Brazil. After seven years in South America he was given the prestigious new role of Sales Manager for Europe and in 1982 became President of Honda France. After a five year period in Paris, he returned to Japan and ran the Honda's Power Products division for the domestic market but a year later was sent off to the United States as a Senior Vice-Presdient of Honda America.

Tanaka was recalled to Asia in 1996 when he was put in charge of Honda's operations in Indonesia but in 1999 was given the new role as head of Honda Racing Developments Ltd in Bracknell. He disappeared from F1 after that program was halted.