Aguri deal agreed?

Super Aguri F1's chances of being on the grid as promised in Melbourne appear to have taken a positive step after it was rumoured that the team had finally found the means to continue in Formula One.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Aguri Suzuki's beleaguered eponymous outfit's search for either a buyer or investor has led it to the UK-based Magma Group, headed up by ex-Ford Europe boss Martin Leach. Although details of the arrangement between the two parties remain confidential, it is being suggested that Magma has found a buyer for the team in Asia.

The report claims, however, that, while shares may changes hands in the sale, ownership and identity of SAF1 would remain the same, with the driving line-up likely to be the same as last season - SAF1's best in two years in the top flight - as Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson remain on board for another campaign, and Honda maintains its role as technical partner. Neither Sato or Davidson has tested since last year, and the new SAF1 contender has yet to turn a wheel in anger, despite passing all mandatory FIA crash tests.

Intriguingly, Magma currently owns a company called Ultramotive, which was formerly Menard Engineering Limited [MEL], a prior tenant of the Leafield premises that Super Aguri currently occupies in the UK.

London-based Magma was set up in 2005 to 'address issues in the automotive sector caused by rapidly changing global competitive situations and unprecedented market
conditions'. Leach is its chairman.

Super Aguri has been the subject of much takeover talk this year, with Spaniard Alejandro Agag and India's Spice Energy heading the list of supposed suitors, despite denials from within the team that it had talked to anyone.