Sato to jordan!! - 10-Tenths Motorsport Forum

steve nielsen · 9 Oct 2001, 10:58

Honda says that Sato will race for Jordan

Japanese rising star set for rookie F1 year

According to Honda, Sato will be a regular fixture at Jordan next year

Jordan's engine supplier Honda has said that Japanese star-in-the-making Takuma Sato will race alongside Giancarlo Fisichella in the team's line-up next season.

A Honda spokesman said today (Tuesday) that Sato's future will be announced at a news conference on Wednesday.

When quizzed if Sato, this year's British Formula 3 champion, will be announced as a Jordan-Honda driver, he said: "You may well expect him to do so."

Sato has been testing for British American Racing this year, but was up against Formula 3000 champion Justin Wilson for the seat.

He will become Japan's seventh ever full-time F1 Grand Prix driver, and its first since Tora Takagi drove for Arrows in 1999, and is regarded as one of the best young drivers to emerge from the land of the rising sun.

It means that Jean Alesi has lost his seat in Formula 1, and his racing options for next season appear to be limited

wwww.autosport.com

well, that leaves very few open spaces:

Ferrari

TGF
Rubinho

Mclaren

DC
Kimi

Williams

Ralf
JPM

Jordan

Fisco
Sato

BAR

TCF
Panis

Renault

Trulli
JB

Jag

Erv
PDLR

Sauber

Heidfeld
Massa??

Arrows

Jos
HHF??

Prost

Burti??
Enge??

Minardi

Fernando??
Yoong

Toyota
Salo
Mcnish

Logan · 9 Oct 2001, 13:06

Seems a little bit naughty of Honda to be going around spilling the beans before Jordan but I presume Eddie knows what they're doing.

Anyway Congratulations to Mr.Sato!

If he continues to race in F1 like he has in F3 he should make a very useful addition to the team and who knows could become the first Japanese driver to win a GP.

Shame about poor Jean though, I guess he now either goes back to Prost or bows out completely.

Logan.

**Bononi** · 9 Oct 2001, 13:52

This shows how much control Honda has over Jordan ? I think so.

Welcome Sato, it's good to have another japanese on the circus. Hope he does better than the others in the past.

rdjones · 9 Oct 2001, 13:54

Yes well done to Mr Sato, but was does this for Justin Wilson, he can either hang around and spend the season testing for someone, or try to get a drive somewhere, Arrows may be a good choice, a good car with a super engine in the Cosworth. But will someone please sign him after all he is the F3000 champion, that must count for something.

BBKing · 9 Oct 2001, 14:01

It is really good that a young guy gets the drive. Good luck to Sato. If he proves to be another bunny like Bernoldi or Yoong he will find his way out of F1 in spite of what Honda might do to help him.

Total-F1 · 9 Oct 2001, 15:15

I reckon Verstappen is going to be dumped by Arrows - never a team to honour a contract - and that H-H F and Jean will be teaming up there next year, as the interim Red Bull-Cosworth outfit.

BootsOntheSide · 9 Oct 2001, 15:33

I think this shows a few sad realities.
1 Jordan are willing to bend over backwards for Honda just to get the engine deal. basically Honda chose this driver, not Jordan
2 People still haven't calculated how **** Japanese drivers are
3 Putting a year's worth of effort into winning the world's toughest feeder series is a complete waste of time. To get into F1, you just have to win a rigged series on a few minor Briiths circuits, of which only 1 will ever been seen in G1 in future.

botsquad · 9 Oct 2001, 16:05

congrats to takuma...and good luck.
if you're faster than Giancarlo, the team will do fine.

steve nielsen · 9 Oct 2001, 16:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Total-F1
I reckon Verstappen is going to be dumped by Arrows - never a team to honour a contract - and that H-H F and Jean will be teaming up there next year, as the interim Red Bull-Cosworth outfit.

Did'nt you get the news: Red Bull NEVER had an option to buy Arrows...

And the reason Tom Walkinshaw contracted Jos so early in the season has to do with the fact he was negotiating with other drivers and he wanted to let Jos know his seat was safe.

(Both said by Tom Walkinshaw)

MrTTraces · 9 Oct 2001, 18:43

Yamn!!!!!!

a bit late mate, I new Sato would be racing for Jordan the day BAR annouced its driver line up for next yr(i.e sato wasn't featured in BAR plans).

Whoever get Sato's, gets Honda so when BAR annouced the same line as this year, it was ovious where he was going.

And as for Alesi, he'll get a drive in Indy or Cart no problem.

I Ate Yoko Ono · 9 Oct 2001, 19:16

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide

"To get into F1, you just have to win a rigged series on a few minor Briiths circuits, of which only 1 will ever been seen in G1 in future. "Wow, you're not a fean of F3 then I take it! The series that was the proving ground and talent showcase for Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Mansell, Hill.....that's about 5% of the list by the way!

I've seen Sato race many times this year and much as I hate to admit it he outperformed the superb (and hopefully F1-bound within 2 yrs) Anthony Davidson. He is there on merit and should not under any circumstances be compared to previous Japanese pay drivers such as Nakijima, Suzuki etc.

Say Boots Up Side My Head Say Boots Up Side My Head, Say Boots Up Side My Head Say Boots Up Side My Head,

steve nielsen · 9 Oct 2001, 19:34

http://www.verstappenfan.nl/images/MM01-5.jpg

Takuma at the Marlboro Masters in Zandvoort in August, started from pole, won the race, I took the photo myself......

BBKing · 9 Oct 2001, 20:06

He is just replacing Alesi. The bar is not that high.

If he beats Fisichella then he is a real deal. Nobody has been able to beat Fisichella, not even Schumacher's "this year's revelation" otherwise known as little bro...LOL