Honda's F1 program🔯me is set for a managerial shake-up with boss Yasuhisa Arai to step down from the position next week.

After a board meeting by the Japanese manufacturer it was confirmed Arai would be replaced by Yusuke Hasegawa in the role of executive chief engineer on 1st March 2෴016.

In addition, Yoshiyuki Matsumoto will be installed as a supervisor to the F1 project as w﷽ell as maintaining the role of president and C🌱EO of Honda's R&D division, with the changes coming into effect on the 1st April.

Arai, who had been handed the task of overseeing Honda's return to F1 as an engine supplier to McLaren l🅰ast year, will move on to become the se💮nior managing officer of Honda's R&D on the 1st March.

The Japanese manufacturer has endured a trickꩵy start to its return to F1 after failing to master the complicated V6 Hybrid power unit regulations, leaving the McLaren's of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso struggling towards the back of the grid.

Despite noticeable improvements on the opening day of 2016 pre-season testing, with Butto🌳n claiming they've found up to half a second over the winter, Arai will leave the F1 project at the end of the first four-day tests which concludes on 🎉Thursday 25th February.