Honda to reduce support for Super Aguri

Honda is to steadily withdraw its technical support for satellite team Super Aguri, Nick Fry revealed in Melbourne. F1 teams have agreed that customer cars will be totally phased out by 2010, but Honda CEO Fry told Reuters that - with new team ownership - Super Aguri will stand on its own feet "a long time before that".

Leafield based Aguri took to the Melbourne track, albeit for just 14 combined laps, on Friday morning in what is effectively last year's RA107.

Fry said the situation will be different in the future.

"We will still support them from a powertrain point of view, and give them a few bits of other technical support, but basically it's going to be on a diminishing basis," he said.

Fry explained that Honda, now working feverishly to improve a second consecutive uncompetitive car, wants to focus single-mindedly on its own team.

"You need to be very singular about formula one and that's the way our team needs to be and that's the way Ross (Brawn) and I are going to push it," he added.

It is also suggested in the Albert Park paddock that, with usual managing director Daniele Audetto conspicuously absent in Melbourne, Super Aguri could soon get a new team boss in the form of Martin Leach.

Aguri Suzuki is expected to stay with the team, but possibly in a different role.