Super Aguri F1
Mark Preston Daniele Audetto | |
Noted drivers | Takuma Sato Anthony Davidson Franck Montagny Sakon Yamamoto Yuji Ide |
---|---|
Formula One World Championship career | |
First entry | 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix |
Races entered | 39 |
Engines | Honda |
Constructors' Championships | 0 |
Drivers' Championships | 0 |
Race victories | 0 |
Points | 4 |
Pole positions | 0 |
Fastest laps | 0 |
Final entry | 2008 Spanish Grand Prix |
Super Aguri F1 was a
Team creation
Honda had completed the buyout of British American Racing at the end of 2005, keeping Jenson Button as lead driver, but displacing Takuma Sato in favor of Rubens Barrichello after Sato scored only a single point that year, which was his second full season with the team. In Japan, public pressure and Sato's continued popularity persuaded Honda to help Sato continue to compete in Formula One. This was influential in the creation of Super Aguri's F1 project and the engine supply from Super Aguri's official partner Honda.[1]
Talks to start the team began in February 2005, but it was not until September that plans started to take shape.
Racing history
2006
In 2006, the cars were powered by customer Honda engines (RA806E 2.4 V8) by a pay lease from its' own works team, and used Bridgestone tyres. The chassis, SA05, was an updated version of the 2002 Arrows A23, bought from ex-Minardi principal Paul Stoddart who purchased them when the Arrows team went into receivership. As such, the team's car, infrastructure and even operating base had its origins with TWR Arrows.[7] Underlining the links to the former team, the technical side was overseen by former Arrows engineer Mark Preston, who brought many of the old Arrows mechanics back with him.[1][8] The team had announced plans to produce a new in-house chassis later on in the 2006 season, possibly for the European races, but this never came into fruition. Instead, the team updated their older chassis to become the SA06 – a change which was visible from the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, onwards.[9]
Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide were the initial race drivers for the team in the 2006 season, with Franck Montagny as the third driver. Ide's selection was puzzling due to his age (the oldest F1 rookie at 31 years), lack of European racing experience, and not speaking English; nonetheless, Aguri Suzuki was initially adamant on promoting Japanese talent.[1] On 4 May, after four races, the team announced that Montagny would be replacing Ide as race driver in the European Grand Prix and subsequent races, after Ide's Super Licence was revoked after a clash with Christijan Albers.
The team made it onto the grid for the start of the season. In its debut race at Bahrain, Sato successfully completed the Grand Prix while Ide retired on lap 35 with a mechanical failure and after nearly running over his pit crew. Suzuki deemed this race to be a good test for the team as the car had only done a maximum of 10 laps during pre-season testing. The team's second race (in Malaysia) was little better, with again only Sato finishing the race.
Super Aguri's third race, the Australian Grand Prix, saw significant improvement. Ide said "This is the first time that both Taku and I have finished a race, so I am happy about that."[10]
At the San Marino Grand Prix, Ide was involved in a collision with Midland driver Christijan Albers, sending Albers into a series of spectacular rolls although incredibly he was unharmed. Ide was reprimanded by the race stewards.
For the European Grand Prix, Ide and Montagny swapped roles within the team with Ide being demoted to test driver, at the request of the FIA, who felt Ide needed more experience outside of the Grand Prix. On 10 May 2006, the FIA Permit Office revoked Ide's Super Licence, thus preventing his return to an F1 seat until at least the 2007 season.
Montagny raced until and including the French Grand Prix, and on 8 June 2006 Sakon Yamamoto became Super Aguri's third driver. Montagny and Yamamoto swapped roles for the German Grand Prix, with Yamamoto taking over Super Aguri's second car.
When the updated car (the SA06) was first raced in the German Grand Prix, it managed to impress, with decent qualifying positions (managing to outperform the Midland F1 Team), although failing to finish the race.
The team's improving form culminated with an impressive tenth place at the Brazilian Grand Prix from Sato, whilst Yamamoto set the seventh-fastest fastest lap, less than a second behind most of the points-finishers.[11]
2007
Reports suggesting that the team would be using the works Honda chassis of 2006 came under intense resistance by rival teams Williams and Spyker, who contested that the practice was against Formula One regulations.[12] The teams cited the fact that the Concorde Agreement mandated a car may not use any parts designed or constructed by another manufacturer of Formula One cars. Super Aguri (as well as Scuderia Toro Rosso and Red Bull) seemed to be in violation about this. The FIA however did not have the authority to act on the Concorde Agreement without the matter already being resolved in court. However, Super Aguri (as well as the Red Bull teams) stated that they were in compliance with the sport's regulations, though the matter was still of great contention.[13]
Super Aguri announced on 15 November 2006 that Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson (previously Honda third and test driver) would be driving for the team in 2007.[14] Super Aguri also confirmed, on 15 December, that Giedo van der Garde would be their third driver in the 2007 season. However, the Dutchman left for Spyker F1 before the season began.[15] Sakon Yamamoto, who was a second driver in late 2006, went back to being a test driver in 2007.
The team suffered a major setback when their car for 2007 failed the
Shortly before the 2007 Australian Grand Prix, the team announced SS United Group Oil & Gas Company as its title sponsor. Also in 2007 Super Aguri signed an official supplier agreement with Speakerbus to supply race intercom. However, SS United Group defaulted on sponsorship payments, forcing the team to cut as many as 30 staff.[17][18]
At the
At the Canadian Grand Prix the team scored its highest finish to that date, with Takuma Sato finishing 6th and garnering 3 points, passing defending world champion Fernando Alonso on track en route. ITV commentators mention that had it not been for a botched pit stop, Sato may have finished as high as fourth. Teammate Davidson also looked set to finish in the points until he hit a gopher which ran across the track, forcing him to pit and leaving him out of the points.
After the European Grand Prix, Sakon Yamamoto was signed up by the Spyker F1 team for the remainder of the season, filling in the seat left vacant by Christijan Albers.
2008
Super Aguri kept their
The Super Aguri F1 Team travelled to Barcelona and competed in the
In spite of the fact that it is mentioned the Magma Group pulled out, it was down to Nick Fry not accepting the 3-year debt payment plan Magma Group proposed. Fry wanted the whole payment at once or he would not allow the team to compete.[citation needed]
The team's assets were bought by German businessman
Complete Formula One results
(key)
Year | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Points | WCC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | SA05 SA06 |
Honda RA806E 2.4 V8 | B | BHR | MAL | AUS | SMR | EUR | ESP | MON | GBR | CAN | USA | FRA | GER | HUN | TUR | ITA | CHN | JPN | BRA | 0 | 11th | |
Takuma Sato | 18 | 14 | 12 | Ret | Ret | 17 | Ret | 17 | 15† | Ret | Ret | Ret | 13 | NC | 16 | DSQ | 15 | 10 | ||||||
Yuji Ide | Ret | Ret | 13 | Ret | ||||||||||||||||||||
Franck Montagny | Ret | Ret | 16 | 18 | Ret | Ret | 16 | |||||||||||||||||
Sakon Yamamoto | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 16 | 17 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||
2007
|
SA07 | Honda RA807E 2.4 V8 | B | AUS | MAL | BHR | ESP | MON | CAN | USA | FRA | GBR | EUR | HUN | TUR | ITA | BEL | JPN | CHN | BRA | 4 | 9th | ||
Takuma Sato | 12 | 13 | Ret | 8 | 17 | 6 | Ret | 16 | 14 | Ret | 15 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15† | 14 | 12 | |||||||
Anthony Davidson | 16 | 16 | 16† | 11 | 18 | 11 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 12 | Ret | 14 | 14 | 16 | Ret | Ret | 14 | |||||||
2008
|
SA08 | Honda RA808E 2.4 V8 | B | AUS | MAL | BHR | ESP | TUR | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | EUR | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | CHN | BRA | 0 | 11th | |
Takuma Sato | Ret | 16 | 17 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Anthony Davidson | Ret | 15 | 16 | Ret |
References
- ^ a b c "Super Aguri Part 1: Much Aguri About Nothing". 5 May 2016.
- ^ "Super Aguri F1 is go!". GrandPrix.com. 1 November 2005.
- ^ "FIA entry list for 2006". Fia.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Super Aguri F1 is missing". Grandprix.com. 1 December 2005. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Super Aguri to re-apply for 2006". BBC Sport Online. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 December 2005.
- ^ "FIA Press Release". Fia.com. 26 January 2006. Archived from the original on 16 November 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ Smit, Dylan (20 May 2020). "White Walker - 2006 Super Aguri SA05 Honda". DriveTribe. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "Preston linked to Aguri operation". 4 November 2005.
- ^ Formula-1.updatesport.com article[dead link]
- ^ "Australian Grand Prix - selected driver quotes". formula1.com. 2 April 2006. Archived from the original on 7 April 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ "2006 Brazilian Grand Prix - Fastest Laps". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Autosport article. Retrieved 5 July 2007.
- ^ "Spyker hits out at rival". Autosport. Vol. 188, no. 9. 28 June 2007. p. 11.
- ^ NewsOnF1.com article, retrieved 15 November 2006.
- ^ "Van der Garde leaves Aguri for Spyker". Autosport.com. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2007.
- ^ "Contact Support". Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Super Aguri restructuring". Grandprix.com. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/7493198 http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/7493198[dead link]
- ^ "SUPER AGURI F1 TEAM CONFIRMS NEW PARTNER AND DRIVERS FOR 2008 SEASON". Super Aguri official website. 10 March 2008. Archived from the original on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
- ^ Filippi linked to Super Aguri F1-Live.com, retrieved on 13 December 2007.
- ^ "Super Aguri to launch new car in February". autosport.com. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- ^ "Super Aguri postpones car launch". itv.com/f1. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
- ^ "Super Aguri denied access to Istanbul". autosport.com. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ "Struggling Super Aguri out of F1". BBC Sport. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
- ^ "SUPER AGURI F1 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT". Super Aguri Team Official Website. 7 May 2008. Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
- ^ "Super Aguri go into administration". Autosport. 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.