Japanese queue up as Super Aguri entry nears.

Formula One's proposed newest entrant appears to have moved closer to running two Japanese drivers as the sport's governing body prepares to accept it on to the grid for 2006.

Super Aguri F1 had been linked to former BAR team-mates Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson for its first season in the top flight, but the motorsport grapevine insists that a string of Japanese hopefuls may have moved ahead of the Briton in the queue. While Sato is almost a given as team leader - Honda announced that it would be supplying the team in an attempt to appease fans upset at Taku's release from BAR - Davidson may yet decide to remain as third driver with the Brackley operation, opening the door for team boss Aguri Suzuki's ambition of fielding an 'all-Japanese' squad.

Having had to get all ten rivals onside to be able to press its case for a late entry to the 2006 campaign, Super Aguri is poised to get the green light from the FIA, rewarding the hard work being put in behind the scenes by technical staff ensconced at the former Arrows' factory in Leafield. The team is expected to use uprated 2002 Arrows cars for the three flyaway events that open the programme, with a bespoke chassis of its own coming on stream when the series returns to Europe.

Who will occupy the cockpits, however, remains open to conjecture, with the two seats the only ones remaining unfilled after the official entry list was published last month. As reported repeatedly, Sato is a dead cert for the number one berth, but several of his countrymen are now in competition for the second ride, possibly in opposition to Davidson and Midland outcast Narain Karthikeyan, who saw his hopes of a Williams reserve role dashed on Tuesday when the team signed Alex Wurz instead..

Sakon Yamamoto, who tested with Jordan/Midland at Suzuka ahead of last year's Japanese Grand Prix, is understood to be vying for the second seat with Suzuki's IRL-based prot?g? Kosuke Matsuura and Formula Nippon veteran Yuji Ide. Running two Japanese drivers could be beneficial when it comes to raising sponsorship, although Karthikeyan is also understood to have access to backing from his native India.