The cash-strapped
Super Aguri F1 team could be going cap in hand to engine partner
Honda in a last-ditch attempt to secure its place on the
Formula One grid this season.
Aguri Suzuki's tiny team has endured several knocks in its two years in the top flight, but now appears to be on the brink ahead of the 2008 campaign, with reports of sponsorship struggles coming amid the cancellation of its planned launch and no-shows at testing.
Writing in the UK's
Guardian newspaper,
Crash.net columnist Alan Henry claims that Suzuki flew to Tokyo on Thursday for crisis talks with Honda in a final effort to secure the future of his team, which was set up with support from the motoring giant in an attempt to appease Japanese fans angered by the dropping of
Takuma Sato in favour of
Rubens Barrichello in 2006.
After a tough debut season, things appeared rosier for Super Aguri in 2007 as it unveiled new sponsors ahead of the Australian Grand Prix and added former Honda test driver
Anthony Davidson to its line-up alongside Sato. The Japanese driver then proceeded to score points in both Spain and Canada, but a defaulted payment from the team's title backer preceded a tough end to the year, with development of the Honda-based SA07 canned and doubts being cast on the 2008 campaign.
Despite rumours that the team has completed its own car for the coming season - and has reported that it has passed the necessary
FIA safety tests - Super Aguri cancelled its planned launch set for Tuesday this week, and then had to shelve a planned replacement Q&A session with key team members Suzuki and Mark Preston after it decided not to attend the current group test in Spain. The team has yet to confirm its line-up for 2008, with Davidson's place thought to be in danger should it land a driver who can bring the sponsorship necessary to see out the season.
