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[darwin dali]

Super Best Friends seem set to finalize a deal between them and Weigl and Big Momma Honda in order to Aguri San: " race for the foreseeable future and I am hopeful that all parties will find the Group’s offer a realistic package.” together with Franz-Josef's: "earnest intention to provide ongoing investment to secure the team’s future.”

Weigl

[texasmr2]

Great new's no doubt!

[Denthúl]

That's good to hear. Hopefully they won't pull out like the Magma group did. I think it would be nice if people who were considering investing realised that results won't be instant, despite what Mallya is trying with Force India.

I think that more than one major group needs to invest in Super Aguri, though. Remember that if they want to stay in the sport, they will have to start working on their own factories and research facilities very soon in order to be ready for the rule banning customer cars. I feel tempted to write letters to some big British companies asking them to perhaps make a smaller investment in the team, as a few of them together can put in the required money without taking a noticable loss. But it just feels cheeky, to be honest :/

Besides, I have no connection with the team, so again, it seems odd.

[Selcouth_Feline]

I don't know if Honda will put their stamp of approval on the Weigl deal as there's a rumour that they are looking to inject a couple of million into Super Aguri, but they haven't put anything long-term on the table. I think ideally Honda want a long-term solution and not just something to tide the team over for a few races. Still, I hope a rescue package is put togther soon

I feel tempted to write letters to some big British companies asking them to perhaps make a smaller investment in the team, as a few of them together can put in the required money without taking a noticable loss. But it just feels cheeky, to be honest :/

Personally, I feel half the problem with this is that the UK *may* be headed for a recession and a lot of big business will want to see whether our economy stabilises out a bit before they start committing lots of money to an F1 team.

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Weigl optimistic of Honda support

By Jonathan Noble Saturday, May 3rd 2008, 12:48 GMT

Franz Josef WeiglFranz Josef Weigl, the German businessman launching a last-minute bid to rescue Super Aguri, is optimistic Honda will approve his deal to save the team as he brushed aside doubts from Nick Fry that his offer is good enough.

Super Aguri are to face a critical meeting with the Honda board in Japan next Tuesday, where the Japanese manufacturer will decide whether to accept the Weigl Group offer or to pull the plug completely on the team.

And although Fry, Honda Racing's CEO, has said he is sceptical of the new offer being strong enough, Weigl has insisted that he has the finances, backers and long-term ambition to make a success of his tie-up with Super Aguri.

"I am very optimistic for the meeting, because I believe Honda see the same as me - that it is necessary to keep private teams in the Formula One business," Weigl told autosport.com in an exclusive interview. "We want to find a consistent solution with Honda, because otherwise the team has no future."

Fry was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that he did not think Weigl had the necessary financial backing to make a success of a takeover of Super Aguri.

He said: "It would appear unlikely that a company the size of Weigl is able to support a competitive Formula One team, unless of course there are other partners of which we have not been made aware."

Weigl has hit back at those comments, claiming he does indeed have investment partners and a solid long-term plan to support Super Aguri as he questioned Fry's motivation in making those remarks.

"Mr Fry will get a surprise if we do manage to do it," said Weigl. "I think he should be happy that he has a private team behind him, and I think they (Honda Racing) could also have some support and advantage with Super Aguri.

"I don't understand why he is working so strongly against Super Aguri being able to survive. I don't understand because he will also benefit from us being there."

Weigl, who has said his plan is to continue with customer Honda engines, has made it clear that having financial backers was key to him getting involved.

"I would not go along to risk my name and my business," he said. "I have investor partners because otherwise I could not do it.

"We have a partner who is interested in the F1 business. It is an investment group and the package is clear - we want to have Honda, then investors and then my input, including technology, that we need to make a new car for 2010. It is a serious bid, and it will allow Super Aguri to survive for a long period of time."

Weigl will not travel to Japan for the Honda board meeting, but says that there will be no problem in getting the cars from Britain to Turkey in time for next weekend's race if they get the green light.

"My offer is laying on the table and Honda can say yes or not. I have no influence over that now. I hope that they, and Mr. Fry, will agree that Super Aguri can survive."

[7UpJordan]

I heard the Weigl Group tabelled an offer of around £6million... £6million!! And that's all it costs to secure the future of a hard-working, never-say-die team who are just pleased to turn up on the grid whilst certain greedy Football clubs shell out around £50million for an overrated defender who looks like Jar-Jar Binks.

[darwin dali]

I heard the Weigl Group tabelled an offer of around £6million... £6million!! And that's all it costs to secure the future of a hard-working, never-say-die team who are just pleased to turn up on the grid whilst certain greedy Football clubs shell out around £50million for an overrated defender who looks like Jar-Jar Binks.

That wouldn't be enough to run the team even half way through the season.

[Denthúl]

So, um, apparently the Super Aguri trucks and staff have been prevented from entering the paddock at Istanbul Park.

Super Aguri's future has been cast into fresh doubt after the team's trucks and motorhome were prevented from entering the Istanbul circuit today.

Sources have told itv.com/f1 that Formula One Management ordered its staff not to allow Super Aguri's personnel into the paddock after Honda team boss Nick Fry informed Bernie Ecclestone that Aguri Suzuki's squad would not be racing in Turkey next weekend.

Super Aguri is set for a crunch meeting with the Honda board this week, at which the Japanese manufacturer will decide whether to accept the Weigl Group's bid to rescue its second team.

But Fry has already expressed his scepticism about the Weigl deal.

"It would appear unlikely that a company the size of Weigl is able to support a competitive Formula 1 team, unless of course there are other partners of which we have not been made aware," Fry told the Reuters news agency.

Weigl CEO Franz Josef Weigl believes his company has the resources to sustain Super Aguri, despite Fry's concerns.

"The Weigl group's offer is backed by strong business finance partners who along with the Weigl group would like to invest long term and not just short term," he said.

"With our partners, the offer is not only about rescuing the team, but about constructing a future for the Super Aguri F1 team and Takuma Sato.

"We hope that Honda board members would be willing to have faith in our long-term business plan."

ITV.com/f1 understands that the Aguri team believes it has been barred from the Istanbul paddock to avoid embarrassing Honda should it decide to reject the Weigl offer later in the week.

Honda has invested significantly in Super Aguri since forming the team for Sato in 2006, but now wants it to find new investment and become self-sufficient.

Despite the uncertainty over the team's future, Aguri has been preparing as normal for next weekend's Istanbul race.

Suzuki is understood to be trying to bring the crucial meeting with Honda in Tokyo forward to Monday.

It's not looking good :/