Super Aguri have decided not to participate in this week’s final Barcelona test, instead choosing to concentrate on preparations for departure for Melbourne and March’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The Honda-powered team, who finished ninth in last year’s championship, have missed a number of winter tests and the latest cancellation comes as team boss Aguri Suzuki attends talks in Japan over backing for their 2008 campaign.

It means that, as happened in 2007, Super Aguri’s new car is unlikely to see the track until the first Friday practice session at Albert Park. Up to now the team have been using an interim version of last year’s SA07.

The SA08 had been due to debut at the Circuit de Catalunya last week, but that test was also cancelled. Race drivers Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson now face the prospect of travelling to Australia having completed just three days of testing between them this year.