Comments on: Super Aguri Deal Collapses

By: Honda Not Keen On Bailing Out Super Aguri » BlogF1

Honda Not Keen On Bailing Out Super Aguri » BlogF1 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:23:42 +0000

[...] deal with the Magma Group that would have saved Super Aguri collapsed last week, and since then team owner Aguri Suzuki has been working hard on re-negotiating another, all in [...]

By: Sally

Sally — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:27:40 +0000

I can’t help but feel sorry for the drivers. I rate Anthony Davidson as a potentially very good driver, but at this rate, he’ll never get a good enough race seat to prove me right or wrong!

By: milos

milos — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:02:15 +0000

well, in 2006 they raced in 4 years old Arrows, in 2007 in 1 year old Honda

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:43:59 +0000

Sorry Milos, should have said ‘given their improvement from 2006 to 2007′. They did improve quickly after the flyaways in ‘07, maintained it quite well for a while but then, as you say, declined towards the end of the year as STR improved a little.

It does seem that Aguri are once again at the mercy of Honda. I read somewhere (Pitpass, I think) that DIC are involved in a UK football club at the moment, which they suggested could be one reason for the backing out of the deal. That and I imagine $100m seems like a lot when they may not even getting a car to develop. Essentially, it is $100m for the chance to run around the back of the grid if you’re lucky.

By: Milos

Milos — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:11:39 +0000

and what exactly is the improvement Super Aguri made during 2007 season ? I would say none … They started the season OK, thanks to competitive Honda RA106 (the one that actually won a race and appeared on podiums few times in 2006). As the season progressed, the team begaun to slip down …

They were beating Honda last year only because Honda’s 2007 car was worse than their 2006 car (and it still is beyond me why they did not drop the RA107 …)

While it is sad that what looked like serious buyer backed off, I wonder how serious the intentions of Magma or their Dubai backers actually were … Midland and Spyker comes to mind …

Now it is in Honda hands, as it was a month or two ago. They either continue financing the team and hope it will not take long for some buyer to come by or let them go under.

Honda may however have to waive their right of veto over the new owners and their driver selection policy if they want to find the buyer …

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:17:30 +0000

The scary thing is, had the Magma deal gone through for the reputed $100m, the majority of that money would have gone straight to Honda to cover their debt with them. Kinda makes you wonder, and as much I love the little team, what was the point? Had Aguri been able to walk away with his pockets lined and semi-successful or progressing team behind him, then fair enough. But a handful of dollars really doesn’t seem like it’ worth all the hassle.

By: Stew

Stew — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:12:38 +0000

I just thought ‘not again’. This team has had it all bad, and then good, and then bad. However, the deal with Magna Group was never a sure thing. For a team that has worked as hard as they have just to put a car on any road, if I was them, I wouldn’t know what I would have left.