The co-owner of Super Aguri insists the struggling team will be on the Melbourne grid next month, but also confirmed that talks to sell ‘100 per cent’ of the outfit are going on.
Team chief Aguri Suzuki was in Tokyo recently for crisis talks regarding the Honda-powered squad’s financial problems, after the team missed nearly the entire pre-season series of track tests.
But team co-owner Fumio Akita, a long time business partner of Suzuki’s, played down the reasons for the test absences, amid rumours that Honda are holding back the team’s 2008 cars pending an agreement.
“The cancellation was because some parts hadn’t arrived in time,” Akita told the news agency Reuters.
“We will be on the grid for Melbourne. We’re not worried at all about missing out,” he said.
Akita also confirmed that it is possible that 100 per cent of the team will be sold, amid talks with up to three potential buyers.
“Obviously, we have to think of the future and what’s best for the team,” he said.
“But even if it’s a 100 per cent stake you can’t sensibly get rid of the team per se.
“If you have no Aguri (Suzuki) you probably lose Honda as engine suppliers. If investors come in and say they can bring in BMW engines that’s a different story.
“But even if we give up 100 per cent share it doesn’t necessarily mean the owner or the team name goes with it,” he added.
