Super Aguri say 'no chance' of F1 return

(GETTY IMAGES)

Super Aguri have emphatically quashed media speculation of a shock return to Formula One, a year after financial difficulties forced the Japanese team to quit the circuit.

"There's absolutely no chance," former co-owner Fumio Akita told Reuterstoday in response to last week's local media reports that team boss Aguri Suzuki may be tempted to return if new caps on spending were introduced.

"Even without the world financial crisis and its effect on Japan's economy we couldn't afford it."

The sport's governing body FIA is hoping to introduce an optional budget cap of £40m next year, excluding driver salaries and marketing expenses.

The figure represents 25 per cent of what some teams have been spending and those who accept the cost cap would get greater technical freedom than those with unlimited budgets.

"We already pulled out once because we did not have the resources to continue," Akita added. "Even if we had $60 million to spend we would have to start from scratch again.

"We don't know where these newspaper reports came from but Aguri has also said there's no chance (of a return)."

Super Aguri withdrew from F1 after a promised major sponsorship deal collapsed and backers Honda were not prepared to offer long-term support.

With the global economic downturn biting hard, Honda subsequently pulled out of Formula One themselves to cut costs amid slumping car sales.