SA to build own car

[Marbot]

Seems rather a strange thing to do given that next season customer chassis can be used.Or can they!?

But at least they won't be saddling themselves with this seasons Honda chassis.

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=32410

[Born Racer]

I think it was Aguri Suzuki himself, but someone from the team said yes in Hungary in response to a question about whether they will build their own car next season.

But this could just being playing with words, because haven't they tried to claim that their car this year is 'technically' theirs (intellectual property rights and all that malarkey)?

Basically, I see no evidence as of yet that they actually plan to build their own car in the true sense of the word.

And that Pitpass article reveals nothing.

[Ralf's Girl]

I've heard 2009 for customer chassis - which is it?

If they can't use a customer chassis next year, building their own car might not necessarily be such a bad thing - it couldn't be a great deal worse than the Honda that they would otherwise get stuck with, with the added bonus that nobody would expect a Super Aguri-built car to be particularly good.

[MrTTraces]

Have they got the money and space to actually build their own chassis / car? Buying a customer car would be cheaper right?

A wonky wooden go-kart with old pram wheels would be better than this years Honda so maybe building their own car is a good idea.

[Gt_R]

Super Aguri did well this year, and expectations to deliver the same for next season is high.

Now, being essentially a Honda supplied team, he is faced with limited choices.

This year's Honda is too bad for Super Aguri to use next year. It's almost a certainty going to be a back-marker next season. The other alternative is for Super Aguri to design their own car. However, they really need to be careful, because as Honda (with it's resources) has proven, it is not an easy task to design your own.

So two more possible outcomes i believe SA can persue is
1) Make an extensive modification to this year's SA car. It has proved competent and reliable for a mid-field pack, and to heavily tweak it's aerodynamics and improve mechanical grip, while keeping the proven mechanical package will ensure some reliability and decent pace, which may not be ultimately competitive over a season, but may be enough to score them some decent points in the first 6 to 8 races with some luck.
2) Persuade Honda to provide SA with the same car as the works team in 2008, from which SA will work on.

[Super Hans]

I can’t imagine they have the infrastructure to design and build their own car at this stage.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by MrTTraces

A wonky wooden go-kart with old pram wheels would be better than this years Honda so maybe building their own car is a good idea.

Nonsense.

In a recent test, the Honda lapped Silverstone over 2 tenths faster than a wooden go kart with old pram wheels. Although in fairness the go kart was piloted by Channoch Nissany.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

But at least they won't be saddling themselves with this seasons Honda chassis.

I should imagine that this is exactly the reason they are building their own!

Maybe Honda should buy off SA next year

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

I can’t imagine they have the infrastructure to design and build their own car at this stage.

Thats because they dont. Theyve been using Honda's resources since the beginning.

[Ralf's Girl]

Considering that Honda have already admitted that their car isn't very good (I'd use a stronger phrase than that), perhaps they would allow SA to use their resources to, as Gt_R suggests, modify this year's car.

I don't see that they have many options - when it's a year older and all the other teams are running newer, quicker cars, just how bad is the 07 Honda gong to be?

[MrTTraces]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

Nonsense.

In a recent test, the Honda lapped Silverstone over 2 tenths faster than a wooden go kart with old pram wheels. Although in fairness the go kart was piloted by Channoch Nissany.

In all seriousness, they are going to have their work cut out to get a new car to the grid. Recruiting a design team etc.. it all takes time.

If they do it..i'd not only be impressed but it would be something of a miracle.

[BootsOntheSide]

Sounds ambitious, unless they have been planning this behind the scenes. The chances of Honda allowing them enough space to build their own car, seperately from Honda's design, is remote. More likely that they'll run a car as close to Honda's 2008 model as the regulations allow.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

More likely that they'll run a car as close to Honda's 2008 model as the regulations allow.

But customer car regulations should allow you to run a 2008 car next season.Maybe the technical regulation will change things around enough whereby a 2007 (or earlier) chassis would be a complete no hoper,or be incompatible with those regulations.Certainly with the emphasis being on aerodynamics,anything from this season (including Ferrari's and Mclaren's) is going to struggle next season.

[Dutton]

It could simply have been given a very precise response in the event of no customer chassis in 2008.

They would have to own the intellectual copyright (or an outside company owns the IC and allows the use by Honda and SA) and physically create it themselves. The latter point is the stickler.

A constructor has to physically create the chassis themselves: this, you see, means SA would be building their own car next year.

Of course, if customer chassis are allowed then it is all a moot point.

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by martyn bott

But customer car regulations should allow you to run a 2008 car next season.Maybe the technical regulation will change things around enough whereby a 2007 (or earlier) chassis would be a complete no hoper,or be incompatible with those regulations.Certainly with the emphasis being on aerodynamics,anything from this season (including Ferrari's and Mclaren's) is going to struggle next season.

I think the FIA would have to be holding a few of their last cards close to their chest as to the 2008 technical regulations in that case. Most of the big stuff we've already heard of, and not much is left to be implemented for next year as its either been nixed or brought forward.

[Phoenix1]

If SA build there own car then good for them. Whilst I am not a big fan of customer cars in F1 for 2008 at least (I love CART but don't want other one) it would leave only Red Bull using the same basic car for two teams. I am excluding of course Prodrive at this stage.

They should be proud of what the achieved this year, even with Hondas help you only have to look at the speed of the two cars to realise Aguri did something right whereas Honda missed the boat this year.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Phoenix1

They should be proud of what the achieved this year, even with Hondas help you only have to look at the speed of the two cars to realise Aguri did something right whereas Honda missed the boat this year.

What SA did right was use last years Honda.What Honda did wrong was to not make the most of their new wind tunnel.But Ruben's is hopeful.

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/...l-calibration/