SUPER AGURI SA05 Honda

   In February 2005, former Formula One driver Aguri Suzuki began talks with Honda to establish his own team to be entered in the 2006 F1 World Championship. The new outfit, named Super Aguri F1, was based in Tokyo, Japan, but operated from the former Arrows facilities at the Leafield Technical Centre in Oxfordshire, England. As Red Bull had previously done with Minardi, the new Japanese team was intended, to a certain extent, to function as a satellite team for Honda, which also guaranteed the supply of engines and technical support. In September the plans began to take shape, and in November the team informed the FIA of its intention to take part in the 2006 championship. However, when the list of entrants for 2006 was published, the FIA confirmed that Super Aguri’s entry had not been approved due to the failure to pay, within the required timeframe, the US$48 million bond demanded of the team. In January 2006, Super Aguri submitted a new entry application but, having missed the initial registration, the team was required to secure the unanimous approval of the ten existing teams. Despite initial opposition from Midland, Suzuki ultimately obtained the necessary unanimous agreement, and the team’s entry was confirmed by the FIA on 26 January 2006, just six weeks before the start of the season.

SUPER AGURI SA05, Takuma Satō
Imola, San Marino GP 2006  

   In 2002, burdened by debts to suppliers and employees, Arrows Grand Prix International had been placed into compulsory liquidation, and all of its technical and intellectual assets were acquired by Paul Stoddart, majority shareholder of Minardi. The material not used by the Italian team was subsequently purchased in 2005 by Super Aguri, which, in addition to a number of chassis from the old A23, also made use of the British facilities where Arrows had operated. For its Formula One debut, the plan was to use the previous season’s BAR-Honda, but for technical and regulatory reasons it was decided instead to base the new Super Aguri SA05 on an updated version of the Arrows A23 used in 2002, originally designed by Mike Coughlan, who had since moved to McLaren, and Sergio Rinland. Emphasizing the links with the former team, the technical side was overseen by former Arrows engineer Mark Preston, who brought back with him many of the old Arrows mechanics. Meanwhile, the team announced its intention to produce a completely new chassis later in the 2006 season, although this would never come to fruition.

SUPER AGURI SA05, Takuma Satō
Catalunya-Barcelona, Spanish GP 2006

   Preston therefore set about adapting the car to the regulations, essentially leaving the chassis, suspension layout, carbon-fibre gearbox casing and wheelbase largely unchanged, as the SA05 was clearly intended as a stopgap solution to allow participation in all races, as required by the regulations, while awaiting the new SA06. However, the Arrows had originally been designed to accommodate a 3,000 cc V10 engine, whereas from 2006 Formula One switched to 2,400 cc V8 engines of significantly smaller dimensions. This issue was resolved by inserting a spacer between the engine and the gearbox. The underbody retained the twin-keel design typical of Arrows, as well as the same front deformable structure and wing mounts, similar to those of the old British car. Many components and technologies were supplied by Honda, including the RA806E engine, a 90-degree 2,400 cc V8 capable of producing over 700 hp at engine speeds exceeding 18,500 rpm.

SUPER AGURI SA05, Frank Montagny
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2006 

   Super Aguri selected Japanese drivers Takuma Satō, strongly backed by Honda, and Yuji Ide as its race drivers, while Frenchman Franck Montagny was hired as test driver and Friday practice driver. However, he did not take part in the early races, as the team did not have a third car available. After only a few Grands Prix, Ide, responsible for serious mistakes and race incidents, had his superlicence revoked, and Montagny was promoted to race driver, before later giving up his seat to Sakon Yamamoto (who had already taken part in some races as a Friday test driver) coinciding with the debut of the new car at the German Grand Prix. The car’s preparation was slow and laborious, and the SA05 completed only a handful of laps during the February winter tests with the two race drivers. Given the obsolescence of the equipment and limited resources, the Super Aguri cars inevitably occupied the back of the starting grid and, retirements aside, achieved very poor results in races as well. Development was extremely limited and consisted only of the addition of new flaps to the front wing in Australia compared with what had been seen in testing, while at the European Grand Prix a new power steering system was adopted, essentially to allow the car to use the tyres prepared by Bridgestone for 2006. This was necessary because the steering, chassis and weight of the car were not suited to the more modern tyres, resulting in serious grip problems.

SUPER AGURI SA05, Takuma Satō
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian GP 2006

   The SA05’s best qualifying result was 18th place, achieved by Satō at the United States Grand Prix, while in races it did no better than 12th place, again by Satō, in Malaysia. There were numerous retirements, caused not only by driver errors but also by many weaknesses of the car, such as engine reliability issues, the fragility of the hydraulic system, and several other components. Thanks to an increase in personnel and the support provided by Honda, the team was able to prepare the SA06, which was used from the German Grand Prix onwards. At that point in the season, the team was 11th in the Constructors’ Championship, without any points.