Aguri ... should they be out there?

[Kirk]

The question must be asked, especially with the inexperience of an Ide at the wheel.. I am all for the underdog, but would it not be better to give this team a year of development? Or at least re-introduce a rule where a given driver must have a minimum pace to be allowed on the grid?

To date they have managed pretty well in staying out of the way but after watching this weekends practice and quali, their presence can be downright dangerous.

[Gore]

Ide did look a bit out of his depth today, and certainly drew more (negative) attention to himself than in the first two races, but I think the team is doing a respectable job. Their performance is far better than I expected given their equipment (as noted on ITV this morning, they're in the same ballpark on pace as Minardi used to be), and they do appear to be serious about competing properly in F1 going forward, unlike some of the late 80s/early 90s fly-by-night operations that were perceived by the likes of Mosley as damaging F1's image.

[TheNewBob]

Ide is a little bit suspect, but it's always going to be hard for a rookie in such a situation. I think Super Aguri are doing incredibly well with what they've got - Sato has been lapping within 2 seconds of other cars - considering their situation of being new to F1, to have only started up their F1 project 6 months ago using a 4 year old backmarking chassis, and the timescales involved... I think they're doing an incredible job.

[kipper]

Although the Aguri cars are slow, that is only to be expected given their lack of development time. Also the performance is comparable to Minardi and is certainly above that of many other teams (eg. Pacific and Forti). As for Yuji Ide, whilst he struggled in qualifying, he has demonstrated a degree of talent in Formula Nippon, so I don't believe that he is a danger to anyone.

[Adam43]

There performance is remarkable considering and in comparison to the old days of the minnows. Downright dangerous? I think you exagerate the situation. More dangerous than not having them. Ide had a mare, but again he isn't a total tool.

No, it is good that they are there. At least so that it can be this team people can complain about rather than the next slowest if Aguri weren't there.

[Knowlesy]

I think Super Aguri themselves are fine. They have done a staggering job thinking of when the team was conceived and the equipment they are using. They aren't as slow as I expected.

Yuji Ide is a joke however, at least this weekend anyways. He has been very slow at Bahrain and Malaysia and at Melbourne he hasn't spent five seconds on the tarmac......

No, sorry, tell a lie. He was on it a while when he was trying to find reverse.

[SALEEN S7R]

I too think Super Aguri should be on the grid, it is a shame the car is so far off of the pace but then that is to be expected. Let's not forget that Super Aguri are planning to have a new car out for the European season, and with a bit of luck they should be signifcantly faster than what they are now. Off topic slightly but this weeks Autosport magazine says that Super Aguri have asked Honda for the Honda hybrid car that Honda used at the end of last years testing, of course the team would have to change the car signifcantly to be able to show that it is Super Aguri's own car etc but that really shoudnt be a problem. A similar situation to that of Sauber last year where they ran what was effectively a F2004 GA with some modifcations.

[BootsOntheSide]

Sato is not too far off the pace of the Midlands, so the car is clearly not terrible. Ide's chassis today had been used as a show car for some time, so it m,ay have inherently been difficult to drive, although I dare say Michael Schumacher would not have spun 3 times in 5 minutes.

[luke]

Yes they should be here. They have done a very good job to be just a few seconds off considering the car is just an update of a '02 car which wasn't good in it's day. Sato isn't that great but is guiding the team in the right direction. Ide, yes he deserves to be in F1. Any driver that has got this far deserves it. If Ide made his debut in a much more organised team he wouldn't be driving like a head-less chicken.

[esorniloc]

Well in 96 when Forti were as slow they were not allowed to race.

[Bononi]

I knew it will happen. I guess things are going to settle down up to the end of the season, at least, if FIA really wants more teams running.

[Dutton]

I cannot recall all Forti's individual performances, but suffice to say if they were not allowed to race then it because they qualified outwith 107% (newly brought in for hte 1996 season). Had it been the 1995 season then they could've raced despite being slower than 107%.

Now that we do not have the 107% rule, IMHO, it is a totally irrelevant point to bring up.

Aguri have had impressive pace all things considered, but Ide is increasingly seeming like he simply isn't up to the job.

[karimbo]

They should have entered the championship in 2007 when a little more ready. It think it is stupid to have 26 cars when 6 out of the 26 are not competent. I'd rather have 20 fairly competitive cars. Yuji Ide scared the h**l out of me during the qualifying session. It is dangerous to have people like that around. In 2008 we will have 26 cars, some of them running 4 second slowe a lap. When Alonso was running with Minardi, he was cmpletely out of the radar, even though he has a lot of talent. Same for Albers last year. Having people like Paul Stoddard running teams who hire people like Channoch Nissany, the spectacle on the track becomes pretty bad. Unless all you like in Formula 1 are the controvertial press conferences.

[Mekola]

In the most expensive sport of the world, you can't avoid paydrivers... even Senna and Schumacher entered in F1 in that form.
Then if you want talented drivers, it's better to have more entries in F1 - It brings more opportunities to potential stars to enter in this world.
That's why I insist about the possibility of 3-car teams...

[DeoValente]

I do recall the Forti/Pacific/Simtek/VisaMastercard F1 teams and most of them where about 10-14 sec a lap slower than the pacesetters. They got in with shady characters and no intention of improving their kit. Yet benefitted from all sorts of expensive FIA rules and regulations, funds and free TV exposure. If you compare that to Suzuki's team you notice the differences quickly. Honda paid for the 48mill entry fee, their cars are 4 years old but well adapted to current regs and if u see their pace vs for instance, Midland you havta agree they are trying their best. Satos times are good for a 4 year old car imo. Im glad we have more than 20 cars as i loved the difference between more teams.

[Knowlesy]

They are, in short, a highly professional outfit.

[Bononi]

a little messy... but professional.

[SALEEN S7R]

Will be good to see how they do when they get the Honda interim car out on track. Whoops, I mean it will be good to see how they do when they get their new car out.

[ralf fan]

with the amount of money Honda have you'd think they could afford a better driver than Ide...
I mean isn't one Japanese driver enough to fulfill sponsership commitments.

As for the team itself...i think it is good to have 22 cars once again.... it's the quality of some of the drivers that is worrying.....

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Bononi

a little messy... but professional.

Professional, aside from Ide and the pit comms, to clarify.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by ralf fan

i think it is good to have 24 cars once again....

It's also good to be able to count.

[Adam43]

While Ide had a very poor show today there is, I believe, a situation at Super Aguri where we don't have parity of equipment. It is fair enough, a new team scratching everything together to try and make it work (and doing a decent job generally). Sato has been in F1 for some time and has found his feet. Ide is new and hasn't and isn't in an enviroment to allow him too either. This situation will only get worse when the new car is introduced as it is likely Ide will get it after Sato.

I'm not saying Ide is anything great or that he hasn't made some silly mistakes, but some of the sweeping statements here are a little harsh. He isn't a total loss as his record in Japan shows. However he obviously isn't prepared for F1 at the moment.

[ralf fan]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

It's also good to be able to count.

read my post again.... it seems your making stuff up...

[Knowlesy]

Well I can't see the show improving as far as Ide is concerned Adam.

He seems fundamentally slow. It's all very well doing well in Formula Nippon, but past achievements mean nothing when you get to F1 sadly.

[SALEEN S7R]

Ide isnt that bad a driver IMO, he finished 2nd in last years Formula Nippon Championship which is still very competitve. I do feel however that the entire campaign has been rushed and that Ide hasnt really had time to get used to driving a Formula One car properly, had Super Aguri's campaign gone the same as everyone else's, ie lots of testing prior to the start of the season I feel that he would have had more than enough time to get used to life in a Formula one car. As it is however he is still learning the ropes. Once he has gotton used to things I think he will do a good job, the fact that Sato has settled in a lot more easily shoudnt be suprising - after all he has been in Formula One for a few years now.