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F1: Super Aguri Shows New, “Completely Legal” Car
Written by: Kevin Krefting   
03/13/2007 - 07:00 PM
Melbourne, Australia
 


Front wing is SA07's biggest visual distinction in comparison with the Honda RA106. (LAT Photo) » More Photos

The last remaining 2007 challenger still unknown finally broke cover on Wednesday afternoon at Melbourne, just two days before the beginning of this year's Formula 1 season, as Super Aguri unveiled the new Honda-powered SA07 on the Albert Park circuit's pitlane.

Arguably the most controversial new car for '07 (alongside Toro Rosso's STR2), the SA07 is, according to rival teams like Spyker and Williams, a mere development of last year's Honda RA106. Current Concorde Agreement rules state that teams must build their own cars, but Aguri, like STR, believes they've found a loophole.

"We know what we did, we know what we are doing and we know that we are completely legal," managing director Danielle Audetto insisted. "So it is not our problem. The most important thing is that we want to respect the rules. We don't want to cheat. We don't want to go against the rules.

"They [Williams and Spyker] can do whatever they want. We cannot stop them to do it. If they have something to complain about then they can just do it. Then we will see if they are right or they are wrong. But we are right."
Front wing is SA07's biggest visual distinction in comparison with the Honda RA106. (LAT Photo) » More Photos

Visually,
the SA07's biggest distinction in relation to the RA106 is a revised front wing. In a maneuver somewhat similar to Red Bull's (which had the intellectual property rights of both the Red Bull RB3 and the STR2 be owned by a third-part company, "Red Bull Technology"), Aguri's car was built by Honda Motor Co., not Honda Racing, in Japan.

"We hope that everybody now sees that this is our car," Audetto continued. "We knew that from the beginning, but there was some doubt from other people."

Once the controversy is over, the team hopes to land additional sponsorship – a new backer, the SS United oil and gas company, is featured on the SA07's sidepods.

"I hope now they realize it is our car with production and IP (intellectual property) - so when all the clouds are gone I hope that the sponsors that are still in negotiation with us will manage to find an agreement for the rest of the season."

Aguri will field Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson as racers this year, while Giedo van der Garde was originally announced as tester only to be later snapped up by Spyker. Sakon Yamamoto will be the team's third driver.