Suzuki launches new F1 team

Ex-Formula One driver Aguri Suzuki has revealed his plans to launch a new team next season, with help from Honda. The Japanese manufacturer, who already own BAR, last month revealed they were in talks to back a second team.

Suzuki's Super Aguri outfit have now been confirmed as the new team and have lodged an entry into the 2006 world championship with world governing body the FIA.
Aguri Suzuki "We have cleared all the hurdles we had to clear up to this point. Obviously there is a huge amount of work left but we plan to be on the grid in 2006."

Honda will supply Suzuki's team with engines but how they source a chassis is still undecided. Suzuki had looked at the option of buying the intellectual property rights to last season's BAR chassis or buying a 2007 model from Honda. However, the sport's ruling Concorde Agreement currently forbids this. Suzuki did confirm he wants Takuma Sato as his main driver, although he would not reveal whether Anthony Davidson is in line to partner the ex-BAR driver.

"We are at a nice stage in talks with Takuma. I'd like to see him racing with a good team and he'll want that too. Our goal is to build a team he will want to drive for."

The new team will be based in Tokyo but will operate out of the former Arrows headquarters in Leafield in Oxfordshire.
Suzuki already has teams competing in the Indy Racing League and Japan's Super GT series but he will become the first all-new Formula One team since Toyota in 2002 if his plans succeed.