Anthony Davidson, the British driver recently unseated after his Super Aguri team went out of business, has said he is hopeful of continuing his Formula One career.
In a question-and-answer session conducted by the team’s press office, he said he was “really disappointed… gutted – not just for myself but for all the guys at the factory who have worked so hard.”
He added that, after many years as a test driver, he is confident that the opportunity to showcase his talents in a racing environment will stand him in good stead: “I’m grateful to the team and to Honda for the opportunity.
“Although it’s a difficult time of the year to find an alternative option, as most plans are finalised and the season is well under way, I’m glad I took the opportunity to compete again this year and strongly believe that I have unfinished business in Formula One.”
Davidson turned down a testing role with BMW in order to race with Super Aguri.
He said his top moments as a race driver included making it to the grid at Melbourne last year after having waited so long to compete for real. His worst moment, after hearing that his team was going bust, was having a groundhog run out in front of his car while running third in last year’s Canadian Grand Prix.
He said of Super Aguri, which managed to become extremely popular with fans despite its tiny budget and backmarker status: “It was a small team, but with a lot of passion. The team has always worked incredibly hard, and I think this year the guys showed great dedication and loyalty to keep fighting especially given the uncertainty over the future.”
He closed the session by praising the fans: “The SAF1 Team fans have always been brilliant and I would like to thank them for their incredible support. The many messages that we have received have been very much appreciated.”
Listen to a BBC Radio Five Live interview with Davidson here >>