Another one bites the dust…
Unfortunately, it seems that my first post is going to be a sad one, following the announcement that Super Aguri are shutting up shop as of today. The team cites the failure of their sponsor, the SS United Oil and Gas Company, to pay up as a large factor in deciding to call it quits. This means that the F1 field is now down to only ten teams out of a potential twelve, as David Richard's Prodrive outfit didn't even get around to turning up for the first race.
It also means that Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato are out of jobs. Davidson is highly rated and Sato, whilst a bit crazy, is also pretty handy. However, the music has stopped for this season and all the seats have been taken.
In your writer's own humble opinion, this is undoubtedly a shame for F1, whose grid is now largely populated by manufacturer teams such as Toyota, Honda and Renault. Formula One has always been an expensive business, but with budgets now sky high despite attempts at capping, the privateer doesn't stand a chance.
"What about McLaren and Williams?", I hear you ask. Well, Williams would probably have gone against the wall if it wasn't for signing with Toyota, and McLaren have to keep Norbert Haug sweet if they want money and engines. Plus, these chaps have been around for quite a while and have a fair few trophies in their cabinet, meaning that a proven track record will stand you in good stead when looking for sponsorship/engines. However, Super Aguri had substantial backing from Honda (in order to provide a home for the wayward talent of Sato) and they still couldn't survive.
So, if you are a new team with a couple of sponsorship deals, no major backing, no previous success in F1, a customer Ford engine...Good luck!
