Ross Brawn has waded into the row brewing between Honda CEO Nick Fry and Super Aguri owner Aguri Suzuki, after the latter accused the former of trying to sabotage his efforts to save the now defunct team's future [see separate story –
click here].
Following the collapse of the Japanese minnows earlier this week, former
F1 driver Suzuki – the first, and thus far only, of his countrymen ever to mount a grand prix rostrum courtesy of third position at Suzuka with Larrousse in 1990 – hit out at Fry, questioning why he had felt it necessary to so frequently speak out about the Leafield-based concern's problems in the media, amid rumours it was Fry who instructed the sport's supremo
Bernie Ecclestone to block the team's access to the Istanbul paddock this weekend.
Fry had repeatedly insisted that Honda could not continue to support its satellite outfit financially, with rumours Super Aguri is indebted to its parent company by as much as $60 million USD. Suzuki has suggested the Englishman's words and actions were all part of a bid to destabilise the team and deter potential investors. Brawn, however, refutes such claims.
“I am sure it is a very difficult time for Aguri,”
Honda's team principal acknowledged. “He has worked for two years on this project and he realised the end had come, and when he reflects on some of the things he said I am sure he will reflect differently.”
Fry had been openly dismissive of the ill-fated eleventh hour takeover attempt by the German Weigl Group AG, having earlier assisted his friend Martin Leach's ultimately failed Magma deal, but both he and Brawn – who stressed that in his eyes the Magma deal had been the only ‘viable solution' – were adamant they had done all within their power to aid
Super Aguri's survival.
“What I saw was Nick making big efforts to keep the project alive,” Brawn added.
