An official of the Honda Motor Co. has clarified that it is "not impossible" that its formula one team will survive to contest this season's world championship.
The carmaker's departing chief executive Takeo Fukui said in Tokyo on Monday that while there are offers on the table from potential buyers of the Brackley based outfit, "none of them are serious".
His comments come amid high speculation of the Virgin Group's interest in the team, and rumours that Sir Richard Branson saw the sale as little more than an opportunity for some free publicity.
The F1 grapevine is still hinting that a Ross Brawn-led management buyout - maybe now without the involvement of Nick Fry - is possible, perhaps imminently, but Fukui's pessimism has increased fears that the grid will shrink to just 18 cars in 2009.
But in light of Fukui's comments, an unnamed Honda official insisted that it does not mean a positive outcome to the saga is therefore "impossible".
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