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Former Honda test driver and Super Aguri racer Anthony Davidson has agreed to join BBC Radio 5 Live’s commentary team for the entirety of the 2009 Formula One season. Davidson was hoping to return to racing this year after the Super Aguri team were disbanded in early 2008. A return to testing – possibly even racing – was apparently on the cards with Honda, but that all fell through when the manufacturer bosses decided to pull that plug as well. Continue Reading

In my first round-up of the spectacular 2008 Formula One World Championship, we discuss one team that didn’t make it through to the end. With a little sadness, Super Aguri disbanded after only four races, Honda pulling the plug and a rescue deal failing the materialise or be agreed upon. The saga that engulfed the team back in April left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth, but Formula One as they say, is indeed the piranha club. Continue Reading

After Bruno Senna rubbished the rumour that he has already signed for Scuderia Toro Rosso for 2009, the Austro/Italian team have stated that they will be evaluating Red Bull test driver Sébastien Buemi at the Jerez test in September. Sébastien was announced as Red Bull’s test driver for this season back in January, and although the testing limits have meant the Swiss driver has seen little serious action in the car, Buemi has been busy doing PR stunts for the team as well as competing in the GP2 series. Continue Reading

The Formula One circus has descended on Circuit de Catalunya today for the start of a three day test at the Barcelona track. With the next seven grands prix being held in Europe it is a good time for the squads to ramp up the car development for a mid-season push. The only team not present in Spain today were Force India, and most outfits chose to run test drivers for today’s running as opposed to the regular pilots. And it was one such test driver who ended up setting the fastest time – Luca Badoer of Ferrari. Continue Reading

Honda said it was inevitable, many fans had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but today, Aguri Suzuki withdrew his team from Formula One with immediate effect. This means only 20 cars will run at this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix. The build up to this day has been difficult for Super Aguri, the team having suffered all year with funding problems. The issues arose initially when their primary sponsor SS United defaulted on payments last year, and these issues were compounded when Honda announced they would no longer be offering the kind of support they had previously for 2008. This left Aguri with mounting debts to the automotive giant and finding a new investor was proving problematic. Continue Reading

Continuing the feel good factor that Thursday has brought to Formula One, I can now report that McLaren, who are now located at the far end of the Spanish pit lane, invited their neighbours over for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. The neighbourly gesture was taken up by about 20 members of each team (Force India and Super Aguri) and Aguri driver Anthony Davidson took full advantage to see how the other half live. Continue Reading

Struggling Japanese team Super Aguri are apparently on their way to Circuit de Catalunya to take part in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. The immediate future of the team has been put in serious doubt though as potential investors pulled out at the last minute. The Magma Group were looking to take over the small outfit after Honda, who have backed them for the last two years, said the wanted to scale down their operation this year. This has left Aguri with little funds and therefore very few spare parts. As soon as the deal with Magma went wrong, team owner Aguri Suzuki immediately went to Honda and asked for some more time and money, which appears, although not yet confirmed, to have happened.

For the first three races, both Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato had been ordered to take it easy in the cars, the team being very much aware that they don’t have the money to spend on a re-build should one of them throw it into the scenery. However, while the conservative approach has meant four finishes from the six entered, the Aguri drivers weren’t exactly pushing the cars ahead of them.

Thus, is it worth having Super Aguri on the grid just to make up the numbers? Last year, particularly at races with extraordinary circumstances, Takuma Sato was able to mix it up with the larger teams ahead of him quite well, even passing (at the time) reigning world champion Fernando Alonso in Canada. But to have a team this year just running around at the back of the field, is it really worth it? Is it really what the sport needs?

Super Aguri owner Aguri Suzuki today announced the collapse of deal that would have seen his team change ownership to the Magma Group. It now turns out Magma’s investors – Middle Eastern company Dubai International Capital – no longer wish to fund the acquisition, thought to be costing around $100m. This now puts the immediate future of Super Aguri in serious doubt and the squad may not be able to participate in the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. Continue Reading

Super Aguri have announced that the Magma Group has reached an agreement to buy out the team, following months of speculation and rumours. The news is good for Super Aguri and Honda, the small Japanese team now being relatively safe and Honda freed up to concentrate more on their own cars and organisation. Magma have also agreed with Honda a supply of engines and some technical support, and the outfit will retain both Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson for the 2008 season. Continue Reading

Hastily formed in late 2005/early 2006, Super Aguri have gone from strength to strength in their two seasons of racing. With substantial backing from parent company Honda, founder Aguri Suzuki has captured the hearts of Japanese and general Formula One fans alike, proving that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. However, despite scoring four admirable points in 2007, the team have faced difficulties over the winter and their fate, it seems, rests on the accountants laps as they try and work out a feasible way for the squad to continue. Continue Reading