Today was the day. This was the day that the FIA released a list that gave the teams another week. As it currently stands, the entry list for next year’s FIA Formula One World Championship is set with all of the ten teams from this season and three newcomers. But it’s not as simple as that is it? It never is in F1.

The three new teams are set to be Campos, Manor and USF1. This is great for these three teams as they will be able to – most likely – be reserved for the back of the pack and try to score low points. Sure they will be in F1, but so were Minardi and Super Aguri and Spyker. I’m not going to be too harsh on them yet though because they are going to try to outdo some of the larger teams and that always adds to the excitement of the F1 weekend. Remember the sensational pass that Takuma Sato made on Fernando Alonso in Montreal? Well that is what F1 wants more of and they may just get that. However, that sort of competition relies on the fact that there will still be big fish in the F1 pond.

Although they are listed on the entry for next season, Renault, Toyota, Mercedes, Brawn and BMW Sauber are all still listed as being conditional entries. The fact that the FIA has included Ferrari, Red Bull and Toro Rosso as unconditional entries is something that those teams are looking into as they have clearly been at the forefront of the “if they go, we go” movement. The difference between the conditional and unconditional entries is that the unconditional entries are supposed to have a standing contract with the sport to continue next year regardless of what they say. Obviously, both the Ferrari guys and the Red Bull sponsored teams would not want to race in F1 next season if their typical sparring partners are not included. The Ferrari lawyers are looking into what they can do to get out of that, or if the FIA has total power over their teams participation next season. For the conditional entry squads, they have a week to come to terms with Max Mosley or they will be out in the cold supposedly. This is both good and bad because it gives all the parties another week to see where they stand and it will also happen on a race weekend meaning that we may actually get to hear the comments straight from the horses’ mouths. The bad is that another week means that the two parties still haven’t gotten anything sorted out and that they are still firmly at odds. Will the next week make everyone come to their senses and work things out or will it just add to the dissention and make for an extremely tense British Grand Prix (which, as it turns out, is going to be even more volatile than ever with it being the last running at Silverstone and the BRDC President Damon Hill saying that he would support a breakaway series to be run at the track). Only time will tell I guess, but whatever happens, it should make for some interesting comments and racing come next weekend. I can’t wait.

He’s done it again for the 5th time this season and was only a whisker away from the trifecta, losing out on the fastest lap to Massa by a mere few hundredths of a second.

Image courtesy of the telegraph.co.uk

Not only did Button stake his firm claim over the rights to the 2009 championship in Monaco, he even managed to sprint 400 metres in joyful exuberance to meet with Prince Albert after enduring what was 2 hours of the toughest racing on the planet – and all because he parked in the wrong spot.

Button thoroughly deserves everything he is winning and no one – least of all me, begrudges him any of the success he is obtaining.

Button’s pole to win in Monaco had WDC stamped all over it and has all but surely sealed everyone apart from his teammate Barrichello’s chances of spoiling the party. Somehow, I highly doubt the Brazilian has the motivation or the mindset to challenge for wins let alone championships and sadly, Rubens looks set to see out the rest of his distinguished F1 career as a rear gunner.

Say goodbye to the lovable Brazilian. I met him twice in 2006 over beers in Suzuka and both times he was quite annoyed at playing second fiddle to a certain German. Nothing but the nationality of his team mate has changed.

Next year Rubens will not be renewed and his place in the team will be taken by Bruno Senna who was given a year in the wings while the other three B’s sorted out the 2009 chassis. No doubt the 2010 chassis will be a cracker too.

In the race, Rubens claimed dirty air was to blame for the graining of his first set of options but Button went on ahead calmly and methodically staved out a gap that was never to be headed. Both Brawns, surprisingly, had started on the option super softs while the majority of the paddock were out on the prime tyre. I have noticed the 2009 Honda (Brawn F1) is surprisingly gentle on its tyres, not to mention very fast and very reliable and that is an ominous sign for the rest of the paddock.

4 wins from 5 races and 3 1-2’s is hugely significant.

This type of domination hasn’t been seen since the Ferrari F2002 and is miraculousness in action considering Brawn GP was nothing but a failed Honda dream that lost all power in 2008. Remember the F2002 took 16 from 20 wins in 2002/03.

The BGP-01 is already 4 from 5 and that is a simply massive thing to contemplate.

The “Power of dreams” in different more capable hands shall we say?

Toyota would do well to take a long hard look at Brawn GP and then sit down and think deeply about why they have failed, time and time and time again.

I have no doubt in my mind that freeing up Brawn from all the beauraucratic idiosyncracies that encapsulate the Japanese auto giant and it’s hard headed, honour and family bound managerial styles counted in a heavy way towards their success this year.

The best thing Honda could have done was to walk away from F1 as a manufacturer and support Brawn with the resurrection.

Honda were not of the mind set to win in F1 because they were stuck in the old ways of doing things and “old ways”, in F1 speak, equal the words slow and failure. The old ways have no business being in the cutting edge of F1.

Old people, yes – just take a look at Bernie Ecclestone and Sir Frank Williams. But not old ideas and old ways of thinking.

If you look into F1 history and reflect upon all of the achievements throughout it you will see F1 champions old and new who drove cars built by a certain team but powered by a Japanese manufacturer. Senna is a perfect example. Chassis by McLaren – Powerplant by Honda.

And it worked. Astonishingly well. The MP4-5, for example, was a revelation that nothing, not even the threat of mechanical failure, could prevent from winning almost every race.

McLaren chassis. Honda power.

This was the way it should be – just like the modern McLaren and Mercedes relationship is.

Mercedes doesn’t tell McLaren how to build a chassis and McLaren doesn’t tell Mercedes how to build an engine!

Someone, somewhere along the lines, forgot to translate this work ethos and idealogy into English for these boys and girls to behold.

Tragically, somewhere along the line, Japan forgot about where its place in F1 was and is now cursing the Gods and themselves…after fluishing billions of dollars down the drain and are now leaving the sport becuase they still cant figure out why they arent winning!

Utter madness.

Aguri Suzukis biggest hurdle and biggest paradox to success in F1 was down to one thing.

Honda.

With them things could be done. Without them, Aguri was toast and he couldnt bite the hands that fed him. When I bumped into him on his way to Melbourne in 2007, he seemed upbeat and resolute but I sensed something wasnt right. That may or may not have been down to me interupting his lunch to say hello!

Nevertheless, the point is clear. Japan cant succeed in F1 as a manufacturer.

Toyota is going to pull out and this has all but been confirmed by Max Mosley and Honda and Super Aguri are already yesterday’s news.

The sport will miss them but not for lack of trying – more for a lack of serious intent.

To sum up, the point is very clear.

Japan can never and will never succeed in any great way in F1 as a manufacturer.

History has shown that their greatest victories have always been won as a partner towards the greater cause.

Super Aguri’s former co-owner Fumio Akita has rubbished reports of a possible return to Formula 1 following the introduction of a budget cap.

Following the FIA’s announcement that a £40 million budget cap will be introduced in the 2010 season, reports in the Japanese media speculated about a possible return by Super Aguri.

Akita said on Monday, however, there was no way the team could return to the sport, even with the budget cap.

“There’s absolutely no chance,” Akita told Reuters. “Even without the world financial crisis and its effect on Japan’s economy we couldn’t afford it.”

“We already pulled out once because we did not have the resources to continue. Even if we had $60 million to spend we would have to start from scratch again.

“We don’t know where these newspaper reports came from but Aguri has also said there’s no chance (of a return).”

Super Aguri folded a year ago due to financial difficulties.

in: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/75249

Mesmo com a introdução dos novos regulamentos envolvendo um tecto orçamental, a Super Aguri não deverá regressar à Fórmula 1.

Apesar de Aguri Suzuki ter dado algumas indicações nesse sentido na passada semana, um dos co-proprietários da ex-equipa, Fumio Akita, negou essa hipótese.

Akita afirmou à agência Reuters que ”Não existe qualquer hipótese. Mesmo sem a crise financeira internacional e os seus efeitos no Japão, nós não poderíamos suportá-lo [um regresso]. Já saímos uma vez porque não tínhamos os meios para continuar”.

Akita disse ainda que “Mesmo que tivéssemos 60 milhões para gastar teríamos de começar tudo do zero, outra vez. Não sabemos de onde essas notícias dos jornais surgiram, mas o Aguri [Suzuki] também disse que não há hipóteses de regressar”.

Recorde-se que a pequena equipa japonesa viu-se obrigada a abandonar a F1 e a fechar as suas portas após o GP de Espanha do ano passado, em consequência de grandes sérias dificuldades económicas.

fonte: http://autosport.aeiou.pt/gen.pl?p=stories&op=view&fokey=as.stories/70858

LUTO

O presidente da FIA, Max Mosley, recebeu uma notícia trágica. Seu filho, Alexander Mosley foi encontrado morto dentro da sua casa em Londres.

Alexander foi encontrado desacordado em seu quarto e logo parentes chamaram a polícia, mas os paramédicos não conseguiram ressuscitá-lo. A suspeita é que o filho de Mosley morreu em decorrência de uma overdose de drogas. 

OPINIÃO DO BANDEIRA QUADRICULADA

Triste. Se confirmada a morte por overdose, é de se lamentar que as drogas conseguiram tirar a vida de mais um ser humano.

-*- 

AGORA VAI ! (?)

O GP da Espanha será interessante para Rubens Barrichello. O piloto acredita que o fato de não ter mais testes livres pode ajudá-lo. “Com a falta de testes, teremos de tomar decisões importantes quanto aos itens introduzidos no carro, o chamado novo pacote aerodinâmico”, disse Barrichello.

Rubinho está extremamente confiante pelo fato de ter testado o Brawn GP 001 pela primeira vez em Barcelona. “É uma pista que gosto e, acima de tudo, me deu a primeira oportunidade de andar com a Brawn. Foi aqui que logo senti que o carro era bom, então, será especial retornar a Barcelona”, finalizou. 

OPINIÃO DO BQ

Barrichello coloca pressão em si mesmo. Sabe que precisa vencer ou no mínimo, pontuar mais que Button. Acredito em boa prova do brasileiro, principalmente pelo equilíbrio entre ele e seu companheiro de equipe. Chegou a hora de Rubinho.

 -*-

TRENZINHO 2010

Mais uma equipe se candidata a disputar o Mundial de 2010. A Super Aguri, após sair na metade do Mundial de 2008 por problemas financeiros, pode surgir no grid do ano que vem. É o que revelou o dono da ex-escuderia, Aguri Suzuki. ”Se fosse possível eu certamente gostaria de voltar a F-1”, disse Suzuki.

OPINIÃO DO BQ

Agora virou festa: Prodrive, Lola, USGPE e a Super Aguri querem disputar o Mundial de Fórmula 1. Espero que Ecclestone não nivele a Fórmula 1 por baixo. Com o novo regulamento para 2010, a inovação será menor e as chances de termos carros comuns são grandes. Veremos.

18. April – Fangio bleibt ungeschlagen: Juan Manuel Fangio ist auch weiterhin der einzige Fahrer in der Geschichte der Formel 1, dem es gelang ein nagelneues Auto eines in der WM debütierenden Rennstalls bei den ersten 3 Grands Prix auf die Pole Position zu stellen. Dieses Kunststück, vom unvergessenen fünffachen Weltmeister 1954 auf einem Mercedes-Benz W196 Silberpfeil mit Bestzeiten bei den GPs von Frankreich, England und Deutschland vorexerziert, hätte Jenson Button heute im Quali zum GP von China mit der 3. Pole in Folge für BrawnGP einstellen können. Doch der Brit hatte das Nachsehen, stattdessen sicherte Sebastian Vettel dessen Team Red Bull die 1. Pole Position.

18/4/1979, Anthony Davidson is born in Hemel Hempstead, UK

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Anthony Denis Davidson debütierte in der Formel 1, als das Minardi-Team 2002 Fahrer Alex Yoong für einige Rennen ins Abseits stellte. Sein Auftritt beim Grand Prix von Ungarn war solide, doch eine andere Option, als den seit 2000 ausgeübten job als Testfahrer BAR ergab sich nicht. 2005 ergab sich dann eine weitere Chance, als BAR-Pilot Takuma Sato vor dem GP von Malaysia erkrankte und „Ant“ als Ersatzmann einspringen durfte. Doch das Auto gab nach wenigen Runden den Geist auf. Davidson blieb als Testfahrer an Bord, als das Team 2006 von Honda aufgekauft wurde und Honda belohnte seine langjährige Loyalität mit einem Cockpit beim Satelliten-Team Super Aguri für 2007. Er blieb auch für die darauffolgende Saison beim finanziell angeschlagenen Team, doch der Rennstall musste nach dem GP von Spanien 2008 dicht machen und somit endete die F1-Karriere des Anthony Davidson. Heuer kommentiert der junge Brite lediglich die GPs im Radio für die BBC.

18/4/1990, Bob Drake dies

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Robert Drake restaurierte hauptberuflich klassische Automobile in Los Angeles, hatte anschliessend aber weitaus mehr Erfolg als Stunt-Fahrer und Fabrikant von Fahrzeugen, die für ebensolche Szenen von der Filmindustrie in Auftrag gegeben wurden. Als Hobby fuhr er Sportwagen-Rennen auf Aston Martin, Cooper und vor allem dem Maserati 61 „Birdcage“. Doch der Kalifornier machte erst richtig von sich reden, als er 1960 in Riverside gegen die Armada europäischer Formel 1-Rennwagen überraschend Zweiter beim Grand Prix der USA wurde, am Steuer eines Ol’ Yaller Mk.II genannten US-Sprint-Renners. Bob drake starb 1990 in Kalifornien im Alter von 70 Jahren.

Geboren: 14. Dezember 1919 in San Francisco, USA,
Verstorben: 18. 1990 in Woodland Hills, USA, 70 Jahre alt.

18/4/1942, Jochen Rindt is born in Mainz, Germany

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Karl-Jochen Rindt gelang der Durchbruch 1964, als er bei der London Trophy der Formel 2 in Crystal Palace Piloten vom Schlage eines Graham Hill, Jim Clark und Denny Hulme besiegte, ein 3-jahres-Vertrag mit dem Cooper Formel 1 Werksteam war die Folge . Wider erwarten blieb diese Allianz allerdings sieglos und so zog er 1968 zum Brabham-Repco-Team weiter. Doch auch diese Saison war nicht von Erfolg gekrönt, technische Gebrechen verhinderten Erfolge. Also akzeptierte der Österreicher 1969 ein Angebot von Colin Chapman, trat so im Lotus-Team gewissermassen die Nachfolge von Jim Clark an. Rindt eroberte am Ende jener Saison in den USA endlich seinen ersten Grand Prix-Sieg und positionierte sich Anfang 1970 durch einen dramatischen Sieg in Monaco als einer der Titelaspiranten. Als er danach den revolutionären Lotus 72 hingestellt bekam, folgten weitere 4 GP-Siege, bevor ihm die kompromisslose Bauweise dieses Autos zum Verhängnis wurde. Beim Training im italienischen Monza verunglückt Jochen Rindt tödlich und wird später posthum Weltmeister.

Geboren: 18. April 1942 in Mainz, Deutschland;
Verstorben: 5. September 1970 in Monza, Italien, 28-jährig.

18th of April – Fangio remains unbeaten: Juan Manuel Fangio remains the only driver in Formula 1 history to put a brand new car of a debutant team on pole position in the first 3 Grands Prix, a feat achieved by the late five times World Champion back in 1954, driving a silver arrow Mercedes-Benz W196. Jenson Button could have equalled this record today in qualifying for the Chinese GP by securing his 3rd pole in a row for BrawnGP. But the Brit lost out to Sebastian Vettel, who secured Red Bull’s 1st ever pole position in F1

the PKF Insolvency company have revealed that the Honda Motor Company stopped them selling the Super Aguri Formula One Team as a going concern as they looked to re-coup their losses immediately.

Super Aguri was formed in 2006 by Aguri Suzuki, and had a lot of backing from Honda.  Despite good results in the 2007 season, during 2008 the Leafield based team went into administration and PKF were called in.

They formed a model which showed the sale, and indeed had someone ready to purchase.  Smaller level investors of the team were happy to see the sale go through, but Honda, who were thought to have many millions invested said no.

PKF are now looking to recoup losses of $400,000 in fees, which Honda refuse to pay.

“Any insolvency practitioner will say that (administration) was the only route for Super Aguri as there were buyers for it,” said PKF partner Philip Long.

“Honda didn’t want Super Aguri exposed to the marketplace,” he added. “Smaller unsecured creditors voted for our proposals and fees”

He enviado a la sede de la Federación Internacional de Automovilismo (FIA) un dossier con dos medidas para recortar los desmesurados presupuestos de los equipos de Fórmula 1:

Primera propuesta: Que los actuales equipos participen con, por ejemplo, monoplazas del año 1980. Ya están pensados, diseñados, fabricados, rodados y probados. El coste, por lo tanto, sería mínimo. Si lo prefieren, como medida extrema, les puedo regalar mi viejo Fiat Uno para que lo tuneen y así formar parte del Mundial 2009 por cuatro perras gordas.

Segunda propuesta: Que bajen la persiana, que cierren el chiringuito y que respeten lo que ha sido este deporte desde que se fundó: la competición automovilística más avanzada y vanguardista.

¿Hay que afrontar la crisis? Por supuesto. ¿Deben adoptarse medidas para evitar más abandonos como los de Honda y Super Aguri? ¡Claro que sí! Sin embargo, el tijeretazo que ha impuesto en los últimos meses el Tito Max va camino de transformar la Fórmula 1 en una disciplina quizá más sostenible (permitidme que lo dude), pero que se aproxima a la velocidad de un monoplaza a una competición que poco tiene que ver con el mejor espectáculo de motor del planeta.

Uma das mais emocionantes temporadas já vistas da Formula 1 deu no que falar. E muito se falou foi sobre uma certa decepção na última prova do ano: o grito de campeão durante poucos segundos, aquele que estava seco na garganta do brasileiro desde Ayrton Senna mas que não foi dessa vez. O que abalou foi a polêmica ultrapassagem de Hamilton sobre Glock – muitos dizem que o alemão teria deixado o inglês passar – e sua conquista pelo título mundial.

O vídeo se passa sobre todas as 18 provas da temporada, mas uma emoção especial fica no último minuto, que nos faz relembrar Interlagos e a tensão e comemoração vivida por todos ali presentes.

Confira:

Fonte: Vimeo
Foto: globoesporte.com

Rumores indicam que tudo será resolvido  de hoje para amanhã, pois uma cúpula se reunirá para decidir o futuro da equipe.

Fonte: Reuters, Autocar, ITV, Autoblog

Update: Conforme nosso leitor também informou nos comentários, a Honda anunciou oficialmente sua saída da Formula 1 2009 se não houver nenhum comprador para a escuderia, uma justificativa seria de que com os problemas nas vendas automotivas mundiais, gastar milhões com investimentos na Formula 1 seria perda de tempo, dinheiro que poderia ser melhor distribuido.

Really bad news om det verkligen stämmer!

Det florerar en hel del rykten runt om på internet som säger att Honda ikväll har haft ett krismöte där man bestämt sig för att dra sig ur Formel 1 helt och hållet.

Honda som för några år sedan från att ha varit leverantör av motorer köpte upp ett stall för att satsa fullt ut i Formel 1. Det är det stall som haft den största budget under åren, men det har inte resulterat i några bra resultat. Senaste åren har Honda varit bland bottenteamen, dock med några få ljusglimtar.

Men det faktum att Honda, om dessa rykten stämmer, nu drar sig ur Formel 1 är väldigt illa för sporten som redan säsongen 2008 tappade ett team, Super Aguri. Nu kan man hoppas att någon annan tar över teamet så att vi fortfarande får ha 20 bilar på startfältet, men den oroliga finansmarknaden gör det ju inte lätt då det är mycket, mycket pengar inblandade i Formel 1.

Det här var absolut inte bra för Formel 1 om dessa rykten stämmer. Fler urdragningar och detta kan bli mycket allvarligt!

La Federazione Internazionale dell’Automobile (FIA) e’ impazzita. Dopo la gomma unica (Bridgestone) e la centralina unica (McLaren), ora vuole introdurre niente di meno che il motore unico. Io capisco che Max Mosley e’ anzianotto e da quando va con i nazi-trans, evidentemente, quale rotella gli e’ saltata, ma questa mi sembra l’idea piu’ stupida che si possa avere nella vita. Dicono che vogliono ridurre i costi… e ti pare che possa essere una giustificazione sufficiente? Che vogliamo farne di questa Formula 1, lo sport dei poveri, cosi’ domani ci ritroviamo anche la Tata e la Mahindra (costruttori indiani)?

Da sempre la Formula 1 e’ basata sul concetto di “pacchetto”: macchina + pilota + team. Dopo aver tolto le gomme slick (completamente lisce), a favore delle scanalate, dopo aver messo la centralina unica, cosi’ nessuno puo’ far valere sulla concorrenza le sue migliori conoscenze di elettronica e di informatica (in effetti in Italia noi c’avremmo una certa Magneti Marelli…), adesso vogliamo l’ennesimo appiattimento? Ha detto bene il Presidente Montezemolo: “motore unico? E noi lasciamo la Formula 1!”.

Questa e’ una competizione costosa, si sa, tanto e’ vero che, da anni, la leadership e’ in mano ai grandi costruttori: Ferrari (FIAT), McLaren (Mercedes), BMW e Renault. Ci sono anche Toyota e Honda che per ora faticano, ma prima o poi si faranno sentire.

E ci sono gli altri, pochi altri, che ormai possono solo sperare di agguantare qualche punticino grazie agli errori altrui. Parlo di RedBull & ToroRosso (che comunque montano motori Renault e Ferrari), di Williams (scuderia storica, ma a secco da circa un secolo), della Force India che, oltre al motore Ferrari e a Giancarlo Fisichella, non puo’ vantare nient’altro di buono, e infine la Super Aguri che, per quel che mi riguarda, potrebbe anche tornarsene a casa domani, visto che non serve a nulla, neppure a buttare fuori qualcun altro di tanto in tanto come la Force India di Sutil.

In effetti, una competizione motoristica appiattita esiste gia’, si chiama A1. Ogni macchina e’ la stessa: telaio, sospensioni, motore, cambio. Le uniche differenze sono piloti e setup. Avete mai visto una gara? Due palle che nemmeno il Capitale di Marx! E’ come i campionati monomarca, ma almeno quelli costano davvero pochissimo, non vanno in giro per il Mondo spendendo una fortuna e, soprattutto, si danno delle sportellate memorabili, cosi’ lo spettatore si diverte!

Ma quale motore unico? La Formula 1 non deve essere economica, cosi’ non serve a niente. Bisogna lavorare sullo spettacolo, anche a costo di spendere di piu’!

Trasferiamo questo concetto in un altro settore tecnologico, tipo l’elettronica di massa. In questo ambito ci sono colossi come Sony, Philips, Samsung, Panasonic, ecc… Indubbiamente ognuna di queste aziende avra’ studiato e attuato delle politiche di controllo dei costi, in modo da restare competitiva. Domani arriva uno, tipo la Federazione Internazionale dell’Elettronica e dice: “ragazzi, qua si spende troppo! Da domani userete tutti lo stesso chip audio/video, tie’ arrangiatevi!”. Io, da consumatore, non voglio una serie di prodotti con marchio diverso ma che, sotto la pelle, sono tutti uguali. Come le sinergie FIAT degli anni 90: ti compravi la Fiat Marea, l’Alfa Romeo 156 oppure la Lancia Lybra e ti ritrovavi in mano la stessa schifezza. Io voglio scegliere, in base alle esigenze del momento, anche a costo di spendere di piu’. Voglio un TV LCD che si veda bene e abbia un prezzo ragionevole? Compro un Samsung. Pero’ so bene che se voglio fare il figo con gli amici e voglio vivere un’esperienza audio-visiva diversa, devo comprarmi un Sony Bravia, punto e basta.

Stessa cosa per la Formula 1. Voglio assistere ad uno spettacolo dove la differenza in pista possa essere determinata anche e soprattutto dalla performance del propulsore: piu’ veloce? vinci! Piu’ veloce ma meno affidabile? Beh, se si scassa sono cazzi tuoi, cosi’ impari a fare male i test!

E, in ultimo, da italiano, vuoi mettere la gioia di vincere con un motore Ferrari sotto al cofano di una Ferrari? Io non me la sento di guardarmi un Gran Premio dove c’e’ una storica macchina rossa che gira con un motore tedesco o giapponese, proprio non me la sento!

Super Aguri Base :    Leafield, UK
Team Principa     :    Aguri Suzuki
Drivers                :    T Sato
A Davidson
Test Drivers        :

Chassis               :    SA08
Engine                 :    Honda
Tyres                   :    Bridgestone Potenza
First Season        :    2006
World Championships:    0
Highest race finish     :    6 (x1)
Pole Positions     :    0
Fastest Laps        :    0

2008
Four rounds into the season, financial difficulties force Aguri Suzuki to withdraw his team from the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship.
2007
Positive second season for Aguri Suzuki’s men, running development of Honda’s ‘06 chassis. Sato qualifies in top ten in Melbourne, scores team’s maiden point in Spain and adds three more in Canada. Ninth overall, just two points behind Honda.
2006
Japanese team’s first season, fronted by former driver Aguri Suzuki. Contest first 11 rounds with modified 2002 Arrows chassis. Performance improves with introduction of SA06 car, taking Takuma Sato to top-ten finish in Brazil.

http://www.f1.com/teams_and_drivers/teams/186/

Anthony Davidson

It must be tough to be Anthony Davidson. Spending years of his career at Honda as a test driver, when he could have secured drives elsewhere is testament to this man’s loyalty – but when a seat vacancy arose, Davidson did not mean as much to Honda, as Honda did to Davidson.

Over his years of testing for Honda, Davidson picked up a reputation. He was not good at his job, he was one of the best. It could be argued that only McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa and former Ferrari’s former World Champion-cum-occasional tester Michael Schumacher are better at getting the technical aspects of the car just right.

Looking on as his twice former teammate Takuma Sato is helped by what seems to be half of Japan (the Honda half, not the Toyota half) to secure the second seat at Scuderia Toro Rosso for 2009, Davidson must be wondering what happens next. Maybe there would be more of an outcry if it was not for Lewis Hamilton’s gleaming star.

This week it was announced that Sato would be testing for STR in Jerez later this month, but for Davidson, the Formula One options look bleak. Although the Brit insists he would be happy returning to a developmental role, providing it meant his profile remained high, he is a racer, pure and simple.

It was his testing, first with BAR and then when they became Honda, that brought Davidson into the spotlight. Barring a few lowly outings with minnows Minardi, he completed a total of six laps when he was the substitute for Sato in 2005. Following the creation of satelite team Super Aguri, again in order to keep Takuma Sato in Formula One, Davidson was given the second seat. In 2007 Davidson completed his first full season as a race driver this decade, in a car he knew like the back of his hand from testing at Honda in 2006. It is at this point that Honda’s cars started to nosedive in performance, and, although a wrongly calibrated wind tunnel has been blamed, you cannot help but think they would have done better had Davidson been around.

Super Aguri survived until the Spanish Grand Prix of 2008, when financial problems – caused by defaulted payments by title sponsor S.S. United – caused their downfall. Davidson had performed impressively, bearing in mind he was driving the slowest car on the grid, he was running in third at the Australian GP of 2008 before a warthog put him out of the race. Although Sato grabbed the headlines for overtaking then-World Champion Fernando Alonso at Montreal, Davidson’s performances went by almost unnoticed. Honda have said they are helping their dynamic duo to gain employment, but it is clear that the Japanese marque favour the Japanese driver, and it seems Davidson is going to have to migrate east, to the Honda-powered IndyCar Series.

The Briton was a guest of IndyCar Series frontrunner Panther Racing at last weekend’s Detroit round and, according to the official series website, should have tested with the team a couple of weeks ago, only for a shoulder injury, sustained while training on a mountain bike, derailed the plans.

The Briton is not entirely alien to the US open-wheel scene, having been offered the chance to quit his test driver role at Honda to join leading the Champ Car World Series outfit Newman/Haas Racing as long ago as 2005, (the same year a full-time drive at Williams F1 fell through because BAR wanted Davidson to return in 2006) but eventually opted to pursue his goal of racing in F1 instead of replacing Bruno Junqueira, who had broken his back, ironically, in a one-off IndyCar outing at Indianapolis. The rid eventually went to Oriol Servia who, like Junqueira, has been a full-time member of the now unified IndyCar Series this season..

Since Davidson’s visit to Detroit, Panther has signed fellow Briton, and former karting rival, Dan Wheldon to race the number 4 Dallara next season, but is reportedly trying to find the finance for a second entry as the IRL-sanctioned series regains some of its former lustre. While current Panther driver Vitor Meira would be high on team boss John Barnes’ shopping, list, Davidson is tipped as a serious contender, along with GP2 race-winner Mike Conway, who wowed onlookers, including several other IndyCar teams, with an impressive testing debut at Infineon Raceway last month.

Neal’s View: It is sad to see a grid without Anthony Davidson on it. He has more talent than some drivers lining up there and his testing ability makes him a valuable asset for any Formula One team.

Red Bull-backed: Sebastien Buemi

As the 2008 season moves into its final stages, Scuderia Toro Rosso is turning its thoughts to its 2009 driver line-up. As part of that process, the team will be putting Sebastien Buemi and Takuma Sato behind the wheel of an STR3, for a day each at the Jerez test following the Italian Grand Prix.

Nineteen year old Buemi is well known to the team, as the Swiss driver has come through the Red Bull Junior Driver Programme and is test and reserve driver for Red Bull Racing. His is currently lying fifth in the GP2 championship and has four GP2 victories to his name.

Takuma Sato is Japan’s most successful racing driver. The 31 year old has competed in 91 Grands Prix, his best result being a third place finish in the 2004 USA Grand Prix. Taku made the switch from two wheels to four, having been a successful cycle racer in his native Japan. He first made the headlines when he won the hotly contested British Formula 3 championship in 2001, before joining the Jordan F1 team the following year. Three years with BAR Honda followed that, before he joined Super Aguri in 2006. He stayed with the team until it pulled out of the sport after this year’s Spanish GP.

“The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Vettel, who is joining Red Bull Racing next year,” explained Team Principal Franz Tost. “The Jerez test, the last one of the season, will give us an opportunity to evaluate Buemi and Sato at the same time, as they are both possible candidates for a 2009 seat. Buemi is an obvious candidate, because not only is he already part of the Red Bull family, he is currently performing well in the GP2 series. As for Sato, he has proved worthy of a place in Formula 1 and would be a good fit with the Red Bull spirit, while his recent F1 experience would be undoubtedly valuable to our team.”

“I am delighted to be given this opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, after my season was cut short following the Spanish GP,” commented Sato. “It will be especially interesting working with a team that has made so much progress over the course of the year.”

Buemi will test on 17th September and Sato on 18th.

Neal’s View: With STR having to design their own chassis from 2010 onwards, it makes sense to get an experienced head, like Sato (or Davidson) on board. However, Red Bull may have the final say which means Buemi will get the nod. Let’s not forget that Bruno Senna’s name is also in the hat.

Former Honda Racing F1 Team and Super Aguri test driver James Rossiter has headed out of the F1 test door and into an ALMS race seat.

The young driver, who has been part of Honda’s young driver programme since 2005, will be racing with the Andretti Green team in an Acura starting with the next round at the Road America race circuit.

He tested for both Honda and Aguri in his brief spell with Formula One, and at 24 years of age there is still plenty of opportunity for him to enter the top flight of motorsport. He wanted to race competitively on a regular basis having not completed a regular season since World Series Renault in 2006.

“I’m really looking forward to the new challenge, and to racing with Franck,” said Rossiter.

“I really just want to enter into this with the goal of learning as much as possible.”

Rossiter will partner former Aguri F1 driver, and Toyota test driver Franck Montagny.

No mundo da F1, as equipas vêm e vão como o vento. A Ferrari e a Williams são as únicas 2 equipas que nunca trocaram de nome nem de direcção. A Jordan passou a ser a Midland, a Spyker mudou para Force India… A Super Aguri é outra história.

Apesar de ser a primeira equipa em muitos anos a conseguir começar do zero e integrar o mundo da F1, pouco mais de 2 anos depois, desistiu. Mas não sem antes investir milhões e milhões em carros, equipamentos, etc.. Estas preciosidades vão ser leiloadas pela casa britânica SHM Smith Hodgkinson no final deste mês. Mais de uma dúzia de carros de F1, uma frota de camiões de transporte e 4 autoclaves (fornos industriais pressurizados para “cozerem” as peças em fibra de carbono que serão utilizadas nas suas máquinas).

Os interessados podem ver todos os objectos do leilão entre os dias 29 e 31 de Julho, na base da equipa em Langley, Inglaterra, onde se poderão registar para poder licitar através do site da SHM.

Por isso, se estiver interessado em adquirir os restos de uma equipa de F1, esta é a sua grande oportunidade!

Fontes: Autoblog , Super Aguri Online Auction , Racing Toys