Radio Five Live is reporting that a life-saving deal is being penned in Tokyo by a finance company called Magma.

**Update** 5 March 08:  Well, with just over 8 days to go, there is still nothing but growing rumours. It reminds me of that first year and the Bahrain GP - will they? / won't they?

Talking to Autosprint, Daniel Audetto said "The situation is difficult but we are confident," he told the Italian magazine. "At this moment, the negotiation for the buy-out by an important company floated on the stock exchange should be defined.

"This would allow us to have the resources to face the season as programmed. Everything will have to be defined by March 5, because after that there wouldn't be any more time to send the material to Australia."

Just as they did at Bahrain, I am praying that the team will do the magic and there will be two freshly-painted cars heading out of the garage for that first practice session.

I won't bother repeating rumours here on the front page - you can read them in the forums section - but I will say that we are hearing a little more detail from various sources. How close they are to the truth is anybody's guess, but there is hope.

Super Aguri have a record of amazing me, and thrilling me. I only hope this is true for a few years to come yet. Force India might develop into a team worth watching, but I doubt they will do it in the same style as SAF1. Eddie Jordan gives them hope, but I think they are a tired set of people - having gone from one public crisis to another. My worry is that this might become true for our friends at SAF1. Doubts about your future, your job, have an enormous impact on moral and motivation. SAF1 have always had buckets of both - will these days of unsure financial future eat into that?  Will we see it on the outside? I hope not.

I hope that any deal that is made keeps Aguri-san firmly in charge, leading from the front with all his enthusiasm. I pray that the small band of friends keeps it all together and they see some security from a deal that speaks of long term, not single season, investment.

With a deal for three years, a team will feel legitimate; as though they belong. Short-term deals makes one feel like an outsider, a temporary member of the Club. Ask the guys formerly known as Jordan ....