Comments on: What Is Going On Between Honda & Aguri?

By: Is Nick Fry About To Find Himself Unemployed? » BlogF1

Is Nick Fry About To Find Himself Unemployed? » BlogF1 — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:43:37 +0000

[...] racing in Turkey and shouldn’t be allowed to enter the Istanbul Park circuit. And HondaF1 CEO Nick Fry has been talking to the press an awful lot recently about Super Aguri, a team which he has not, did not and will now [...]

By: Alianora La Canta

Alianora La Canta — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:56:04 +0000

Super Aguri have announced their withdrawal. Still think it was a completely stupid way for Honda to approach the matter, which indicates to me that Honda probably doesn’t deserve to have one F1 team, never mind the two it had until this morning.

By: Domswift

Domswift — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:12:55 +0000

On the flip side of this, there are some good opportunities to be taken up, Toyota would score a massive moral victory in Japan if they secured Sato as test driver, likewise, if I were the top teams I would be seriously considering signing Davidson as a tester

By: Domswift

Domswift — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:45:46 +0000

Well friends, it seems the curtain has now fallen on this one.

Whilst I love nothing more than the fighting spirit in a team like Aguri, you would have to say from Fry’s point of view he is likely trying to get Honda to loose off the “dead wood” and confirm total support for his own project as he feels Aguri is a drain on resources.

If you look at the history of Honda in the recent period, they re entered with BAR in 2000, only to shortly spread themselves too thinly by supplying Jordan as well, once they dropped Jordan’s supply, we saw a boost in competitiveness.

Then, just on the verge of a breakthrough in pace, they take on a B-team, which co-incided with another dip in performance.

Perhaps Honda have now realised, that to be at the front, you need to do what the front teams do, Ferrari, McLaren and BMW have no B-teams, the German marques opt to not even supply customer engines. There has to be method in this.

A sad loss for me as Im sure for many people, however if we get one competitive team out of it, fighting for wins, at the end of the day I think F1 will be the better for it.

By: Oliver White

Oliver White — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:02:03 +0000

Great comments guys. Regarding the possible embarrassment from Aguri should the deal be rejected by Honda, I think Honda are causing most it themselves by doing just what they’re doing. Unfortunately, this week has shown just how short-sighted the Honda company is. Undoubtedly Aguri have been given plenty of time to sort themselves out, but this action is surely far worse (media-wise) than perhaps the odd prank done by a [essentially] disgruntled ex-employee. I liked Sato’s use of the phrase “Racing Spirit” he mentioned in his interview. The man towed the corporate line, but subtly gave Honda a soft left-hook in his comments. I guess it all comes down to tomorrow, unless they decide to prolong the deciding/announcement-of-decision* even further.

*Delete as you see applicable.

By: casa de lana

casa de lana — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:50:39 +0000

The refusal to allow Super Aguri to enter the track at Istanbul means only one thing, Honda do not want Super Aguri on site when the management decide to reject Weigl’s offer and pull the plug on Tuesday. It’s less embarrassing that way.

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:02:52 +0000

I don’t think Honda are ever going to see any of that $100M loan and they no doubt have known this for a while.

Super Aguri are trying to blackmail Honda into financing the team outright with some smaller sponsor giving a bit extra here and there.

The relationship between Honda and SA has been one sided right from the start with all the expertise and money flowing away from the works team and towards Aguri. The only thing that Honda ever got out of the deal was to keep Sato in a race seat. SA’s loyalty to its “parent” company did not extend to not reveling about “trashing the works team” last season and that can’t have made them any friends in Tokyo.

SA have never paid their bills and have been singularly unconcerned about money, choosing instead to concentrate on racing. “Honda will provide” has been the attitude from day one.

SA was never economically viable in the first place, but now with the customer car situation having changed, SA need a real sponsor that can provide a couple of hundred million dollars a year to develop a chassis and meet operational costs.

Honda does not want to finance an entire second team. SA is not coming up with a solution out of their current predicament and Honda can see that no sponsor is going to be found, ever.

They are doing the logical thing, which is to call it quits.

By: Journeyer

Journeyer — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:23:44 +0000

But I have this sinking feeling that Nick Fry’s stand is backed (or maybe even forced) by the Honda brass in Japan. As I said over at F1Fanatic, Honda want Aguri sold on their terms. Honda want most or all of the cash upfront. If Aguri can’t sell themselves, then Honda will do it for them. Aguri is concerned about time, but Honda is concerned about the cash.

By: Nick Fry vs. Suzuki & Weigl - Show me the money ! - Super Aguri decision time | F1 Wolf

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:16:49 +0000

[...] are opinions expressed on this topic all around, here are few tips - BlogF1, Sidepodcast, [...]

By: milos

milos — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:49:53 +0000

yes, that is exactly my point, what does Fry have to loose by giving Aguri / Weigl few more days to show him the money …