Sato hopeful of step forward this year

Super Aguri remain in talks with potential investors, including Indian company Spice Group, as they move to shore up their financial situation. Last season, main sponsor SS United defaulted on payments and caused a major cash flow problem for the team.

Although their money woes have forced the team to limit their pre-season testing programme, Sato is bullish that matters will get resolved for the start of the 2008 campaign - and will not prevent them from making progress.

"We're expecting a tough fight at the beginning of the season, but we're still motivated," said Sato on Monday. "It's obviously very frustrating but the staff, the engineers and mechanics are all working hard.

"Because of the financial situation, last year we had to stop our development in the middle of the season, but this time I believe that, after a tough start, we can get to a point where we'll be more competitive than we were in either of the last two years.

"I really want to be able to fight for positions to the very last race. I'm doing a lot of training now - I'm physically, mentally fully ready and confident and really looking forward to going racing."

Sato said that the team will return to testing action at Jerez next week, although they were unlikely to get hold of their final 2008 parts until the first race of the season.

"We were supposed to go to Valencia last week with the SA07B with some upgrades, but that was cancelled," he said. "Next week we'll go to Jerez and then after that we should have two consecutive three-day tests at Barcelona, so that will be a total of nine days testing.

"We'll be using an interim car to start with, and we probably won't have the fully updated car until the last Barcelona test. Then I hope we can bring along the whole new package to Melbourne for the first race, the Australian Grand Prix."

But despite the far from smooth winter, Sato has paid tribute to the efforts of everyone at Super Aguri.

"I've been working very closely with Super Aguri since day one, more than two years ago when the team started, so I know how hard Aguri-san and the team have been working to get financial support from sponsors and investors," he said.

"We've always had great support from Honda and of course without them nothing would have been possible. Throughout my career I have tried to reflect Honda's famous challenging spirit and I am proud to be part of their determination to succeed.

"Also we have always had so much support from you all in Japan and worldwide so I hope this will help get things together."