April 29, 2008
Autosport.com is reporting that German automotive company Weigl Group is poised to make a last-minute bid to try and save Super Aguri from collapse, as the team face a critical few days to try and secure their future.
With Super Aguri’s deal with the Magma Group and Dubai International Capital (DIC) having collapsed recently, and little chance of them putting together a fresh offer, Aguri have been working hard on finding alternative investors.
Sources have told autosport.com that Weigl chief Franz Josef Weigl was at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix for talks with Super Aguri.
It is believed that he has been offered a deal to get involved in the outfit as long as he is willing to bankroll the team for the rest of the season, a figure believed to be around £6.5 million.
Posted in Super Aguri 
No Comments »
April 28, 2008
Autosport.com is reporting that the Williams Formula One team have have acquired a minority stake in Automotive Hybrid Power Limited, a company developing high-energy composite flywheels for use in energy recovery systems.
The move comes ahead of the expected introduction of the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) in the sport from next season.
Automotive Hybrid Power is developing a flywheel for potential use next year, although the team said they are exploring a number of energy storage options.
The Hybrid Power system is based on a flywheel rotating at speeds of up to 100,000rpm that would capture this energy for later release.
“High-energy flywheel technology is a challenging field of engineering,” said team co-owner Patrick Head.
Posted in Williams No Comments »
April 28, 2008
The BBC is reporting that Three-time Formula One world champion Sir Jackie Stewart says he thinks it is “impossible” Max Mosley can survive as head of world motorsport.
Mosley is under pressure to quit after a newspaper claimed he took part in a “Nazi-style orgy”. He denies his actions had any Nazi connotations.
Stewart told the BBC that the big companies which back F1 want Mosley out on both commercial and moral grounds.
“He’s gone beyond anything they would tolerate,” Stewart told Radio 5 Live.
Stewart, who has clashed with Mosley over many issues in the past, said the sport’s big backers had met at the Spanish Grand Prix to discuss the issue.
He said Mosley’s behaviour would have contravened the companies’ “corporate moral guidelines” and that motor clubs around the world, which also come under the auspices of the FIA, would not approve either.
Posted in FIA No Comments »
April 28, 2008
Autosport.com is reporting that Heikki Kovalainen said he is in “good spirits” after his Barcelona crash and is hopeful he will be able to race at the Turkish Grand Prix.
The Finn was taken to hospital after he crashed at very high speed on lap 22 of the Barcelona race on Sunday when his McLaren’s left front wheel failed.
Kovalainen stayed in hospital overnight, although CT scans showed he had no head injuries or broken bones.
The McLaren driver underwent further checks this morning and, as they all went positively, he will be released from hospital later today.
“I have a slight headache and a stiff neck, but apart from that I am feeling well and in good spirits,” Kovalainen said on Monday.
Posted in McLaren No Comments »
April 28, 2008
Autosport.com is reporting that Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he is worried about the Super Aguri team, as the squad look set to find out this week if they have raced in Formula One for the last time.
A meeting with backers Honda in Japan on Wednesday could decide the future of the struggling tail-enders after they limped through the first European grand prix of the season in Spain.
“They don’t look in very good shape at the moment, unfortunately,” Ecclestone told Reuters at the Circuit de Catalunya.
“I want them to stay, I’ve been helping them the last week,” he added.
Posted in Bernie Ecclestone, Honda, Super Aguri No Comments »
April 28, 2008
The Spanish Grand Prix was this past Sunday, and, as expected, Ferrari walked away with it. Kimi had an excellent qualifying session and was on the pole, even though he had more fuel than Felipe Massa, who was third. With passing being very difficult at the Circuit de Catalunya, the race was sealed at the first corner, with Kimi in first, and Felipe taking second away from Fernando Alonso. Even though the race was far from exciting, the weekend had plenty of other points of interest.
The weekend started with not knowing if Super Aguri would make it to the race. The investment deal with Magma had fallen through and Super Aguri was basically out of money. Honda had said that they would no longer support them, but at the last minute gave them a reprieve. Honda said they would support them for this weekend, but this was the last weekend, and Super Aguri needs to find financing if they want to race in Turkey.
The suprise of the weekend was Fernando Alonso’s qualifying session (in fact his whole weekend). The Renault has certainly found speed since the first three races, and Fernando was able to qualify second. Even though his car was light on fuel, it wasn’t recklessly so. In fact, it was an aggressive strategy that might have paid off if his engine hadn’t blown up.
McLaren were back, although a little slower than the Ferrari’s. Thankfully, Heikki Kovalainen survived a huge impact spearing into the tyre barrier at about 150 mph after his front left wheel failed, making him a passenger. It didn’t look good for a while, but it appears that he only had a slight concussion and should be ready for Turkey. Lewis Hamilton managed to finish third after starting in fifth place.
Robert Kubica had another good race finishing fourth, which was much better than his teammate Nick Heidfeld, who finished ninth after being caught out by the safety car, and having to stop and refuel even though the pits were closed. This meant that he received a 10 second stop and go penalty.
Red-Bull had a better weekend with Mark Webber finishing fifth. David Coulthard had another accident (this time with Timo Glock) and finished twelfth.
Honda had a better weekend with Jensen Button finishing sixth, and Barrichello not finishing after an incident with Fisichella.
Williams had a disappointing qualifying session, with Nakajima out qualifying Rosberg for the first time. Rosberg is able to make it to 7th place (from 15th) before an engine failure. Nakajima finished 7th.
Toyota are definitely looking better this year, and Trulli would have had 6th, but a mistake on the radio (he thought he was called into the pits, but it was Glock) meant he pitted three times instead of two. This dropped him to 8th and the final points paying position.
Toro Rosso had a terrible race, with Vetel being punted off on the first lap (for the 3rd time this year, if he didn’t have bad luck, he would have none at all), and Bourdais had suspension failure after a clash with Piquet.
Force India had looked much better in practice this week, but Sutil had an accident with Vetel at the beginning. Fisichella managed to get as high as 8th, before finishing in 10th place.
Now on to Turkey, with Ferrari 12 points ahead in the constructors championship, and Kimi 9 points ahead in the drivers.
Posted in Uncategorized No Comments »
April 25, 2008
The BBC is reporting that struggling Super Aguri have been cleared to race in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix despite continuing uncertainty about their future.
Honda - which supplies Super Aguri with cars, engines and much of their funding - gave the go-ahead following meetings in Japan on Friday.
The team still need a buyer if they are to continue beyond this weekend’s race.
Posted in Super Aguri No Comments »
April 24, 2008
GrandPrix.com is reporting that the American racing media is getting excited about the possibility that Rubens Barrichello may move to Andretti Green Racing in 2009, and that his place at Honda Racing F1 would be handed over to Marco Andretti.
There is no doubt that Barrichello would be a useful recruit for the US team. It would help that Rubens is a close friend of team member Tony Kanaan. The two have in the past worn one another’s helmet designs in races and are also partners in the Instituto Barrichello Kanaan, a charity organisation. They are very close.
Barrichello will this weekend equal Riccardo Patrese’s record as the F1 driver with the longest career. It is safe to say that his chances of continuing in F1 in the longer term are slim. Going to America makes a lot of sense. With the support of Honda such a deal is possible.
However the rumours about Andretti switching to Formula 1 do not add up for a number of reasons. The 21-year-old has tested for the Honda F1 team twice in the past, but according to our sources he has not made a huge impression. He has won only one IRL race - at Sears Point back in 2006 - and while he has come close on other occasions, he has yet to establish himself as a star who might be able to translate US success on to the international scene.
Posted in Honda No Comments »
April 24, 2008
Autoport.com is reporting that Honda have given Super Aguri until Friday to find other financing. This is surprising in that if Super Aguri go under Honda has the most to lose.
Discussions between Super Aguri and investors are continuing as they bid to put together a deal to secure their future after the collapse of a proposed bid being put together by Magma Group.
Although Magma remain in talks with potential backers Dubai International Capital (DIC) to try and reach a fresh settlement, there has not yet been any agreement on the matter.
And although Super Aguri are present at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, it is understood that the team will only be allowed to take part in the event if a deal is put in place tonight.
Posted in Honda, Super Aguri No Comments »
April 24, 2008
GrandPrix.com has an interesting writeup on the Super Aguri issue. The word in the Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona is that things are coming to a head over the future of the Super Aguri F1 team. Magma International now seems to have reached the end of the road with the Dubai Investment Corporation (DIC) and is looking for an alternative arrangement. The key point is that the team needs to stay in operation in order to guarantee that it continues to be paid benefits, a key source of revenue for any F1 team these days.
Posted in Super Aguri No Comments »
content rss
