Re: Midland Blocking Honda-backed "Super Aguri" team
(Score: 1, Normal)
12-07-2005 22:41
To be fair to Toyota and also IMHO.
They (Toyota) would not want the negative publicity from blocking Super Aguri F1. Already the publicity from Sato not being in F1 is so bad, Toyota's extremely smart PR people will surely know the amount of backlash if it becomes known that THEY (Toyota) are the one who prevented Japan's all time favourite F1 driver from being in F1 again next year.
Also, regardless of them getting Honda help or being Honda supporters, Aguri Suzuki and his associates (Keiichi Tsuchiya, Takahashi Kunimitsu, etc) holds so much sheer influence over motor and motorsports fan in Japan that no manufacturer in their right minds will want to offend them. If anything, I think Toyota might even eventually play a part in HELPING them join F1 next year, perhaps by dangling a carrot to the Midlands team with Lexus engines for 2007 or something. I think if I am Midlands, and knowing the politics in F1, I would certainly try to get something from being willing to sign the dotted line, especially if I know (and I am sure they will know), how important Super Aguri F1 is to Japan (and thus to Toyota and Honda).
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