Bernie Ecclestone added fuel to the rumours that
Super Aguri might not be seen at another grand prix ironically after the Japanese minnows enjoyed their most competitive outing of the season to-date in Barcelona at the weekend.
Takuma Sato finished the Spanish Grand Prix in 13th place, having run as high as ninth and at one point looking like he may just repeat the small Leafield-based outfit's heroics of 2007 around the Circuit de Catalunya by creeping into the tail end of the points. A long and heavy final stint dashed any chance of that, however, and with team principal Aguri Suzuki flying over to Japan on Wednesday this week to hold yet more crisis talks with parent company
Honda in Tokyo, there are fears he may not get another opportunity.
They don't look in very good shape, unfortunately, 77-year-old Ecclestone told international news agency
Reuters. I want them to stay; I've been helping them the last week.
The team was plunged into financial turmoil following the collapse of a takeover bid by the UK-based Magma Group, funded by Dubai International Capital (DIC), who are alleged to have got cold feet over the amount of investment that would be required merely to keep the squad afloat [see separate story
click here].
Team owner Aguri Suzuki who brought the outfit into the top flight at the beginning of 2006, with a best finish so far of a feisty sixth place for Sato in last year's Canadian Grand Prix told reporters in Spain that he was still in discussions with potential investors, but would not confirm that the squad would be present in Istanbul for the Turkish Grand Prix in a fortnight's time, the fifth round on the 2008
Formula 1 World Championship schedule.
Sato's team-mate
Anthony Davidson, meanwhile, insisted he was continuing his preparations as usual ahead of the next race, arguing that all was not yet lost.
