Team Aguri has announced that it is expecting founder Aguri Suzuki to step down in the coming months, pending a consultation about the future ownership of the team.
It comes after the Japanese team entered “advanced discussions” regarding a bid from an investment company.
This was Suzuki’s second foray into team ownership, having set up the Super Aguri F1 team in just 100 days with business partner Mark Preston in 2006. In 2013 he teamed up with Preston again to create Amlin Aguri, later renamed Team Aguri, for the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship
A spokesperson for the team commented: “Aguri Suzuki played a fundamental role in the formation of the team and we would like to thank him for his continued support. We are now entering a new phase for the team and are in advanced discussions with new investors, but will not be able to comment further at this time.”
To make this announcement at such an early stage indicates that the team are confident that the deal will go through. It will also mean that there will be two British teams on the Formula E grid, as the team also confirmed that it is looking to be a UK entrant in the championship, having withdrawn its JAF licence.
The 2015/16 season has been a mixed one for Team Aguri so far. Despite keeping last season’s power train it has not seemed to affect their speed, with Antionio Felix da Costa having made the super pole shootout on three occasions so far.
However reliability has been poor with several failures limiting their points scoring, leaving them eighth in the teams’ championship.
The announcement that Aguri Suzuki was to step down came on the same day that Ma Qing Hua was announced as their fourth different driver for this season, having replaced Salvador Duran.
