It's been frustrating, but we're still working hard, says Takuma.
Takuma Sato has confirmed that Super Aguri will resume testing next week and that the Oxfordshire-based outfit should be able to begin the season in Australia with its new package.
The Honda 'B' team had to abandon a planned test in Valencia the other week, however work will resume in Jerez on Wednesday February 12 ahead of the official launch of the SA08 in Barcelona on Tuesday, February 19.
"It has been a tough winter for the team because of the financial difficulties," Taku wrote on his personal website. "Normally at this time we'd be in the middle of our testing schedule, but we haven't even run properly this year.
"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.
"We were supposed to go to Valencia on January 22 with the SA07B with some upgrades, but that was cancelled.
"Next week we'll go to Jerez though 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."
As for the season ahead, despite the problems in the build-up to the outfits third year at the pinnacle of the sport, Taku is confident that the Super Aguri team can continue to make progress.
"We're expecting a tough fight at the beginning of the season, but we're still motivated. It's obviously very frustrating but the staff, the engineers and mechanics are all working hard," he continued.
"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."
