Super Aguri had withdrawn from Formula One racing - that news broke this week and it came as a bitter blow to all those involved, but in particular to driver Anthony Davidson. After years of toil as a Honda tester, it was Super Aguri who finally gave Davidson a full-time race seat. As he prepares to spend the Turkish Grand Prix on the sidelines, the Briton discusses his reaction to recent events - and his belief that his F1 career is far from over…Here is an interview with Anthony Davidson on this occasion. (published on F1’s official web site)
Q: What was your initial reaction when you heard the news about the team?
- It wasn't a complete shock as we have all known how difficult things have been, but I'm obviously really disappointed that the team is unable to see out the rest of the season and beyond, and gutted not just for myself but for all the guys at the factory who have worked so hard.
Q: Have you spoken to the team since the news broke?
- Yes, I spoke to my engineer and a few people at the team this morning, and I have been at the factory in Leafield today.
Q: Looking over your time at the team, what have been the best moments, and the worst, other than our recent news?
- There have been a lot of good moments - being on the grid in Melbourne for the first time last year having waited so long for a race drive, and some very strong qualifying performances would be among my favourites. The worst moment was hearing that the team was withdrawing, and of course the infamous ground hog which cost me a top five result...
Q: What do you think made Super Aguri team so special?
- It was a small team, but with a lot of passion. The team has always worked incredibly hard, and I think this year the guys showed great dedication and loyalty to keep fighting especially given the uncertainty over the future.
Q: What is in store for you now?
- After several years as a test driver in F1 I’m glad that I had the chance to show that I can race and to prove my speed, and I’m grateful to the team and Honda for the opportunity. Although it's a difficult time of the year to find an alternative option as most plans are finalised and the season is well underway, I’m glad I took the opportunity to compete again this year and strongly believe that I have unfinished business in Formula One.
Q: And finally, Super Aguri fans in their thousands have sent messages of good will and support to the team in Leafield. Do you have a message for the fans around the world?
- The SAF1 Team fans have always been brilliant and I would like to thank them for their incredible support. The many messages that we have received have been very much appreciated.
"I don't feel responsible in anyway at all for what happened at McLaren," says Stepney.
Frankly, it is very difficult to see where the truth lies here. Maybe Ferrai over dramatized and used this situation to their favor? Maybe McLaren have seriously benefited from the material that Stepney handed to them?
To me, there are more questions than answers in this case.
"Some stuff has been done politically, some stuff should have been bought out in a different way, but the end result, who knows whether it was right or wrong to make the season as it was?" says Stepney.
One way or another, the results of the last season are already carved in stone. Key stakeholders of Formula One must learn a good lesson from this case and do their best not to repeat such mistakes in the future.
As of now, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen is a winner but there is a chance, at least theoretic, that the title will go to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton. The young Briton has declared that he doesn't want a title won as a result of protest. His teammate Alonso has supported the same pathos.
The date for McLaren's appeal has been set. It will be on the 15th of November. If McLaren's protest is satisfied and both Williams and BMW-Sauber get punished, this will automatically push up Lewis Hamilton to the title. In this case I am sure Ferrari will protest the decision and the question who won the 2007th title will remain open for the next few months.
However, I don't believe things will get that far. Max Mosley, president of the FIA said: "For us, the world championship is over, the result is what it is. A team presented an appeal; at the moment, this doesn't change anything - it's up to them to prove they are right."
Thank you Mr. Mosley. The scandals in this season must be over and the sooner they are the better for the sport, drivers, fans and everyone else involved.
While not directly affecting Formula 1, this time a juice scandal has arisen around Yu Zhifei, the former boss of Formula 1 motor racing in China. Yu was found guilty of embezzling public funds on Monday by the Wuhu Intermediate People's Court.
