The Butterfly Effect
If the demise of Super Aguri does not ultimately go down as the most significant Formula One team closure in the 58-year-old history of the world championship, it will certainly rank right up there with the likes of Brabham, BRM, Cooper and Lotus - championship winners all - and the withdrawal from the sport of a legendary supplier such as Cosworth.
Given that over 120 teams have, for various reasons - including bankruptcy, achievement of marketing objectives, death of a team kingpin, and a myriad others - departed the scene over F1's life-time, and that Super Aguri failed to even see its third birthday, the statement illustrates precisely the level of turmoil the sport is presently experiencing.
Where Super Aguri's withdrawal differs from the examples given - and these are just the tip of a very long list - is that in all those instances Formula One had entry lists containing numbers well above danger point - generally accepted as being 20 cars per grid, regardless of category of racing.