Super Aguri On The Brink

The Japanese team are on the brink, with the Turkish Grand Prix just a few days away.

Since the collapse of the Magma takeover bid, the team has been scouring for a new backer. They just about made it to Spain but it looks like Turkey could be one step too far. Despite interest from another party, team trucks that have arrived on scene have been barred from entering the paddock.

Why? Apparently the reason behind it is that Nick Fry told the FIA that Super Aguri wouldn’t be racing. No official reason has yet to be mentioned for it. It’s just another bizarre twist in the story which saw the team’s cars shipped back to England after the Spanish grand prix.
Fry has made no secret of his desire to have Honda cut off support for Aguri. Actually it seems a tad out of character for someone who walks around with a dopey grin on his face all the time no matter what. Maybe he is getting worried about rumours of being moved to Super Aguri and wants to ensure that avenue is shut. I think he is sending out the wrong messages whilst talks for the team’s survival are on-going. Let them deal with it and keep your nose out of it!

I could always see this happening eventually. There was no way Honda could pay for two Formula One teams. Now maybe if Honda and their marketing department had gotten off their lazy asses and gotten a paying sponsor as opposed to this ‘Earth Dream’ whatever concept, they wouldn’t find their financial belts too tight.

Never did I see long-term viability for a team that was specifically created to keep a home-grown driver on the grid. Granted, they weren’t as bad as some teams I’ve seen over the years but they were dependent on having cars given to them by Honda. After missing so many tests earlier this year I wondered why they didn’t just bother taking a sabbatical given how far they were behind.

Days like Canada last year, where Sato found himself in the points and overtaking world champions seems an age away. Perhaps Super Aguri paid the price for showing up the works team, who at time point were being resoundly beaten by Aguri. Had their performances not shown the light even brighter on the Honda plot, perhaps Honda would be more forgiving at this stage.