Super Aguri fail new F1 crash test - forced to delay launch

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56424

Super Aguri forced to delay launch

By Jonathan Noble Monday, January 22nd 2007, 17:36 GMT


Super Aguri have been forced to delay the launch of their 2007 car after failing the initial crash test with their new challenger, autosport.com has learned.

The SA07 is being manufactured out of Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi, but hopes of an first run early next month have been dashed because the monocoque failed the mandatory FIA crash test.

There was a chance the new car could have been launched at the first Bahrain test next month, but it is now looking likely that the car will only run for the first time in late February.

Super Aguri have set some impressive times in pre-season testing with their interim car, which bears a striking resemblance to Honda Racing's RA106.

The team are planning to run a development version of that car after Honda Japan obtained the intellectual property rights to the design.

Honda and Super Aguri will now set about working on modifications to the car so it will be strong enough to pass the crash test when it is submitted again.

Cars cannot race if they have not passed the tough FIA tests before the start of the season.

[Valve Bounce]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56424


Super Aguri have set some impressive times in pre-season testing with their interim car, which bears a striking resemblance to Honda Racing's RA106.

The team are planning to run a development version of that car after Honda Japan obtained the intellectual property rights to the design.

I asked this guy who is very close to this team about the car, but he said if he told me about it, he'd have to kill me afterwards.

[tinchote]

I loved the "which bears a striking resemblance to Honda Racing's RA106"

[akv89]

How can anyone pass a crash test with Sato in the cockpit?

[Valve Bounce]

How can anyone pass a crash test with Sato in the cockpit?

Heck Man!! They should be used to it by now! :

[tinchote]

Now, talking about this seriously, it's weird, isn't it? You would assume that the engineers know their job and they can produce a car up to spec?

[ratonmacias]

Now, talking about this seriously, it's weird, isn't it? You would assume that the engineers know their job and they can produce a car up to spec?

i dont think its weird with nothing to lose teams like them to make some bold moves in terms of engineering decisions.

[tinchote]

i dont think its weird with nothing to lose teams like them to make some bold moves in terms of engineering decisions.

Well, if the "bold move" delayed their testing for a month, it didn't pay off, did it?

[RJL25]

simply not good enough. Simulation software is good enough now that these things simply shouldn't happen anymore. Someone at super aguri has pushed the envelope too far and now there whole season is slightly delayed.

And seriously with sato in the car you'd think crash safety would be of some importance...

[ioan]

It's just a move to demonstrate that they don't use the same chassis as Honda. I imagine the Honda chassis will pass the test at the first attempt, as will also the SA chassis at the next test.

As for loosing testing time, good joke, how much testing you believe they would have done anyway? I bet it will fit into the time they will still have left before the start of the season.