Super Aguri Withdraws From F1
Aguri Suzuki Pulls Out of Formula One Due to Lack of Funding
The Super Aguri F1 team has announced that it has stopped its program with immediate effect and that it is to withdraw from the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Aguri Suzuki today said that “Regretfully I must inform you that the team will be ceasing its racing activities as of today.”
The problems for Super Aguri actually started back in 2007 when as a result of a breach of contract by SS United Oil & Gas Company the team lost financial backing and put the team on the back foot.
At the Spanish Grand Prix on April 27, 2008 the small independent team had to get extra financial aid from Honda to race on the weekend and hopes of participating in the rest of the season seemed slimmed after a hopeful deal with the Magma Group and DIC from Dubai fell thru even before then.
Mr. Suzuki then tried to secure a deal with the Weigl Group, but it seems as if it came too late and that Honda also did not want to support that deal.
Super Aguri then just simply ran out of time. Their team vehicles were denied access to the Istanbul paddock earlier for the Turkish Grand Prix that will be held on May 11th. As a result Mr. Aguri had no other choice but to make the announcement today.
Takuma Sato, for whom the team was actually created back in 2006 after intense pressure form the Japanese public, and British driver Anthony Davidson are now of course both without drives. Whether either of them will be signed as test drivers with the Honda team remains to be seen.
Honda has released a statement saying, "The Super Aguri F1 team's withdrawal is indeed very disappointing for us but we understand that it was inevitable unless the team could find a way to stand alone by itself in the future.”
It is felt though by many fans in the sport that Honda could have done more to prevent Super Aguri from having to withdraw from racing this year.
The most exciting part for the Super Aguri team will probably be their first ever World Championship points in Spain in 2007 and the amazing pass of Takuma Sato on Fernando Alonso at the Canadian Grand Prix later that year which left everyone excited about what the future might hold for the small team.
The F1 grid will now comprise of only 20 cars from 10 teams for the remainder of the season.
Super Aguri raced in Formula One for two years and four months and scored a total of four points with a best placed finish of 6th.
