Super Aguri F1 Honda:
Last Season’s Position: 11th

Drivers:



22. Takuma Sato (JAP)

Debut: Australia 2002
Starts: 66
Wins: 0
Points: 40
Poles: 0



23. Anthony Davidson (GBR)

Debut: Hungary 2002
Starts: 3
Wins: 0
Points: 0
Poles: 0

Dcoulthard19 says:
Finally we come to the Honda B team, Super Aguri, what do you expect from them this season?
Paul_Murtagh says:
I'm actually expecting a major improvement on last year. They showed major improvements towards the end of last season and Sato finished 10th in Brazil on merit. And now they have two strong drivers that should move the team forward and can bring the team better results
Dcoulthard19 says:
They did a great job last season and earned the respect of the paddock, they are going to have a strong package, last year's BAR chassis and the current Honda engine, so the potential for results is there but there is the customer car row, it is the Honda 06 painted in SA livery
Paul_Murtagh says:
The team has come out and said that the chassis they have been using in testing is an interim car between 2006 and 2007. But we heard that with Toro Rosso last year and they turned up on the grid with the same car. It makes sense doing this because Anthony Davidson developed this car last year and is driving for Aguri this year. But it's against the regulations and things could turn nasty
Dcoulthard19 says:
I don't like the fact that Super Aguri haven't designed the car as I think that is completely against what F1 is about, it is a team sport where teams are competing to build the fastest and most reliable car. To be honest it all makes me slightly angry, do you agree?
Paul_Murtagh says:
Yeah I don't feel it's right at all. F1 in unique in terms of top-level single-seater racing where all the teams are required to design their own chassis and this adds to the spectacle of the sport. If teams are going to share chassis then we may as well let the FIA design all the cars and just paint them different colours
Dcoulthard19 says:
Yeah exactly, Is this going to go to court and what do you think the verdict could be if this did happen?
Paul_Murtagh says:
I don't think it will go as far as that. I feel the FIA would step in before this happened in order to protect the face of the sport. After all if they did produce a clone of the Honda chassis then they are leaving themselves open to punishment from fines to being expelled from the championship under the terms of the Concorde Agreement. What about the drivers? Has Sato matured at Aguri?
Dcoulthard19 says:
Yeah definitely, he was always a very quick driver but very erratic and prone to errors, at Super Aguri he has vastly improved and has outperformed the car by a long way and mixed in where the car shouldn't have let in, he still has a chance to return to a top team later on in his career I reckon. He is still young
Paul_Murtagh says:
Yeah he still has time on his side. He has eliminated from his driving the stupid mistakes that we seen him make when he drove for Jordan and BAR. And I never thought I would say this last year but he was just what Aguri needed, but is he the driver to lead the team forward considering he originally got the drive on his nationality?
Dcoulthard19 says:
Sato is the only reason why the team exists, in fact I still question the point of their existence to be honest with you but Sato can lead the team well, he did so last season, he has enthusiasm, great personality and he inspires his team and I think he can continue the good job that he is doing.
Paul_Murtagh says:
Could the arrival of Anthony Davidson possibly affect him? Davidson is another Honda favourite who has showed in his time with the senior team that he is fast
Dcoulthard19 says:
Anthony Davidson is a great driver but I feel that Sato will beat him this year in both qualifying and in the race although it will be close, I don't think Davidson's arrival will affect Sato that much, he will get on with the job like he has been doing and the pair get on well anyway.
Paul_Murtagh says:
Can Davidson translate his blistering testing pace into race pace with Aguri? Let's remember he hasn't been involved in a race since 2002 taking out his 3 laps at Malaysia in 2005
Dcoulthard19 says:
It will be difficult because Sato has blistering pace as well at times and Sato has a lot of racing experience now and Sato has beaten Davidson in previous rivalries with Sato in other series, both drivers will do very well but as I say Sato will edge it.
Paul_Murtagh says:
I would agree with you there. Davidson will be fast but his race rustiness at the start of the season could hold him back whereas Sato will want to build on his strong finish to last season. So overall do you expect an improvement from Aguri whether they use the old Honda chassis or not?
Dcoulthard19 says:
Definite improvement for sure, maybe the odd point or so, but will they get the same respect from the paddock as they did last year? That my friend is a very different question and I will rest my case on Super Aguri there
Paul_Murtagh says:
Good point. Improvement - yes. Respect – doubtful

Ratings (out of 10):

Drivers – 6.5
Aerodynamics – 5.5/6
Engine – 7.5
Reliability - 6
Mechanical grip - 5
Tactics - 5
Pit crew - 6
Overall – 5.5