Takuma Sato will test with Scuderia Toro Rosso with a view to joining the team as replacement for Sebastian Vettel next season. His manager, Andrew Gilbert-Scott, has admitted that they are talking to several teams with regard to a possible return in 2009, but Toro Rosso is the first to show tangible interest, having confirmed the Japanese ace alongside Red Bull development scheme regular Sebastien Buemi for the Jerez test later this month. "I am delighted to be given this opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula One car after my season was cut short," Sato commented, "It will be especially interesting working with a team that has made so much progress over the course of the year." “The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Sebastian Vettel, who is joining Red Bull Racing next year,” explained Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. “The Jerez test, the last one of the season, will give us an opportunity to evaluate Buemi and Sato at the same time, as they are both possible candidates for a 2009 seat. “Buemi is an obvious candidate, because not only is he already part of the Red Bull family, he is currently performing well in the GP2 series. As for Sato, he has proved worthy of a place in Formula One and would be a good fit with the Red Bull spirit, while his recent F1 experience would be undoubtedly valuable to our team.”
So the STR driver candidate list looks like... Bourdais Senna Sato Buemi I mean, I don't really see a star in the making in any of them. I suppose I would take Senna, and if Bourdais doesn't step it up quickly.... then Buemi.
Brian I think that's a good line up. Sato's proven to be quick, as quick as Button, but has lacked consistency. But, what he lacks in consistency he makes up for in marketability. I haven't been following the young Senna, really what I know of him is gleaned from a couple of articles and a few threads here but, he seems to have good speed and he's also very marketable due to his name. They're probably the two best drivers out there in terms of speed and marketing to secure a decent budget and provide good results.
So why should a young gun like Buemi, who is a proven talent, be passed up for a driver who's had his chance, but literally crashed it over and over again? Why does Sato deserve this seat, because he's putted around at the back of the field for a few years? I think this is a problem in F1, where you have guys like Coulthard, Barrichello, Fisichella and whoever else, who have proved that they're inferior to their teammates in top equipment, yet they stick around forever, not giving any chances to young up and coming drivers.
I think Sato's reputation has really followed him around since his Bar Honda days. In the Aguris, he did not hit that many people and was more consistent than Anthony Davidson and seemed to have calmed his crashing ways. Perhaps this was because he was in a slower car, or maybe it was because he didn't have the pressure of racing against Button as a teammate. I don't have any stats to back it up, but it seemed as though he has been less crash prone in the last few seasons he was in F1.
For God's sake. They built a team around him. The guy has serious backing. A backmark team would be a fool to pass on him. Plus Red Bull sales would sky rocket in the homeland. Anyone tried Red Bull with Sake ?
according to reports, they will be trying to get Sato and Honda engines as part of the deal. i sincerely hope not. the Ferrari engines are pretty fast and reliable at the moment.
