Aguri hoping to learn fate this week

The team are awaiting news on how successful F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has been in persuading the other teams on the grid to give the unanimous support required for Aguri's entry to be accepted.

And although Ecclestone has had to work hard to get over initial resistance from some outfits, believed to include Ferrari, sources close to Aguri have told autosport.com that the problem at the moment remains a complete refusal by the MF1 Racing to support the move.

Ecclestone is believed to be campaigning hard on Aguri's behalf but Midland are understood to have shown little desire to back down in their opposition.

As well as concerns about losing television rights money if Super Aguri finish ahead of them in the Championship, sources have claimed that MF1's engine supplier Toyota may be putting the team under pressure to ensure that arch rivals Honda's plan for a second team do not come off.

There may also be an issue over Takuma Sato's future, with MF1 still believed to be interested in his services for next year. If the team scupper Aguri's efforts then it will almost certainly leave Sato with no other option but to join MF1.

A source close to Super Aguri has said that a decision about the team's entry could be made as early as the end of this week, but the final outcome will depend on Ecclestone and FIA president Max Mosley.