Q & A with Aguri's Graham Taylor

Q: Graham, heading into the last set of European races for the 2007 season, what is the atmosphere like at the team?

Graham Taylor, Sporting Director: As is well known the atmosphere within our team is fantastic. We are enjoying our successes this year, but we are still learning all the time. Super Aguri F1 team approaches each event with total concentration and commitment, certainly we are less gun-ho than last year, but we still carry that element of fun. Anthony is showing more performance during the race weekends now and his pairing with Taku is excellent in cementing the team and forging its natural development.

Q: Do you think that you will be able to maintain your current eighth position constructors' championship standing until the end of the season?

GT: Statistically we should be able to and we all hope so. The current formula necessitates total reliability and, as the number of cars finishing in Turkey showed, all the teams are committed to this. Therefore without extra-ordinary influences points for the teams at our performance level are a rare commodity. However, as a young team we are developing all the time and finding speed along the way.

Q: Now that we have completed 12 races, have your views changed on the use of a single tyre supplier in Formula One?

GT: I believe that the single tyre supplier has drawn the front of the gird closer to the rear. We often witness twelve to fourteen cars covered by just one second and although this makes it incredibly tough, it does give occasion for the smaller teams to compete properly. What we would all like to see is a great difference between the two compounds supplied at the race weekend. Presently, at some tracks, it is difficult to differentiate between the tyres apart from the white stripe. The information and support currently procured by Bridgestone Potenza has been excellent and Super Aguri F1 team enjoys a full and honest relationship with their Japanese supplier.

Q: We have not seen any new developments on the SA07 for a while, can we expect any in Monza?

GT: The nature of the Monza circuit now sits alone within the Championship. With its long straights the focus for the teams is low drag and automatically the Aerodynamic package is developed for Monza singularly. This means we will see new parts on the car at this race. Unfortunately the weather at the pre-race test was not conducive to allow a huge amount of data gathering, but we will endeavour to maximise our abilities.

Q: In your opinion, what makes the race at the Autodromo Nationale di Monza so special?

GT: The atmosphere within the circuit is just fantastic. Whenever you enter the Park you instinctively know that you are at a historic and important racing place. The noise of the cars at high revs passing the pits is simply glorious. The annoying part of the Grand Prix is the traffic into and out of the circuit, but it is only right and proper that F1 cars still race at the classic circuits.