FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[dokushoka]

I quite like to watch Sato drive. His absence has made the races less interesting at the back of the field.

I think it is completely unfair to be so harsh on him. He obviously has some natural ability as his back ground was as a professional cyclist, not even motorsports. He also had some very good results in 2007 when you consider the machinery and funding that his team provided him.

I would be quicker to criticize Button over Sato when you look at their relative results...

[Rob-F1]

You mean to tell me that I was the only person who saw that 15 ton weight hanging off Fernando's rear wing? Meh! It explains how that overtake ever happened though.

[8-ball]

I always thought Sato was exciting to watch. Very rough around the edges but always entertaining.

I would like him to get a drive in F1...

Definitely. That move on Alonso last year in Canada was ace...

I hardly think one passing maneuver classes him as a top driver. Sato is an OK driver at best and if a team wants to take him on then i say good luck to him

[Rob-F1]

Sato had one 'alright-ish' season in 2004. 3rd at Indy and 2nd on the grid at the Nurburgring if I recall correctly?

Over than that he was a fairly average driver on the whole. What made him likeable was his friendly personality to everyone. At the British GP party last year for 5 whole minutes I think he didn't stop smiling once and was more than happy to get involved in a little bit of banter.

Its a shame that Sato will be remember as a driver who never really cut it. He was inconsistant and rather accident prone, often making costly mistakes that ended not only his own race, but others as well. Japan 2005 I recall him taking out Trulli with one of the most useless attempts at an overtake I have seen in ages.

[Denthúl]

I always thought Sato was exciting to watch. Very rough around the edges but always entertaining.

I would like him to get a drive in F1...

Definitely. That move on Alonso last year in Canada was ace...

I hardly think one passing maneuver classes him as a top driver. Sato is an OK driver at best and if a team wants to take him on then i say good luck to him

I didn't say he was a top driver, just agreed that he was exciting to watch, and there has been more than just the one move, that was just an example. I know he's not championship material, probably not race-winning material either, but he has speed, guts and determination, all of which make for an exciting race driver.

[McLaren Fan]

Anthony Davidson looks a much better prospect. It would be a shame to see Sato get a drive ahead of Davidson just because of his race. At least this time around Honda have taken some interest in Wurz and Davidson rather than allowing Sato to hog any free seats.

[Denthúl]

I'd like to see Davidson take up Vettel's place at Toro Rosso when he inevitably moves to Red Bull, or perhaps go to Renault if Piquet doesn't pick his game up (but I think he will do now that he's had some good performances). Failing that, a new team could always take him on. I don't think he'd ask for a large salary and he has plenty of talent and test experience behind him.

[texasmr2]

So anyway back to Sato he was good in lower form's and I really liked his personality but I dont think, as alot of us do, he was F1 material albeit a decent marketing ploy for the first season or two right?

[al4x]

I always thought Sato was exciting to watch. Very rough around the edges but always entertaining.

I would like him to get a drive in F1...

Definitely. That move on Alonso last year in Canada was ace...

I hardly think one passing maneuver classes him as a top driver. Sato is an OK driver at best and if a team wants to take him on then i say good luck to him

I didn't say he was a top driver, just agreed that he was exciting to watch, and there has been more than just the one move, that was just an example. I know he's not championship material, probably not race-winning material either, but he has speed, guts and determination, all of which make for an exciting race driver.

i liked seeing people pass lap him, its a 50 50 as to whetehr youll make it

[deMuRe]

I always thought Sato was exciting to watch. Very rough around the edges but always entertaining.

I would like him to get a drive in F1...

Definitely. That move on Alonso last year in Canada was ace...

I hardly think one passing maneuver classes him as a top driver. Sato is an OK driver at best and if a team wants to take him on then i say good luck to him

I didn't say he was a top driver, just agreed that he was exciting to watch, and there has been more than just the one move, that was just an example. I know he's not championship material, probably not race-winning material either, but he has speed, guts and determination, all of which make for an exciting race driver.

i liked seeing people pass lap him, its a 50 50 as to whetehr youll make it

My point exactly!

[McLaren Fan]

From F1 Live:

Takuma Sato's manager has confirmed that he is fully concentrated on trying to bring the Japanese racer back to the Formula One grid.

It emerged recently that, following the demise of the Super Aguri team, 31-year-old Sato turned down offers to contest in Le Mans and American series in order to focus on resurrecting his F1 career.

The latest rumour is that Sato, who debuted in 2002 and has contested approaching 100 Grand Prix, is linked with one of the Toro Rosso race seats for 2009 -- a good fit, given Gerhard Berger's desire for an experienced hand, and sponsor Red Bull's efforts to crack the difficult Japanese drinks market.

His manager Andrew Gilbert-Scott, a former race driver himself, confirmed to GPWeek that putting Sato back on the grid is his focus at present.

"Formula One is all we are thinking about," the Briton said. "It's where Takuma deserves to be, and naturally we are talking to a number of people about 2009."

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM



Get real man! Sato is not Formula One material. Now bugger off!

[scotty]

Sato's role in F1 is now redundant seeing as Schumacher is no longer around for him to punt up the backside!

Although to be fair to him, he definately deserves a drive more than Davidson, who was a very slow driver in comparison - but then again, there are lots of other young drivers who probably deserve a shot in F1 rather than just giving Sato another chance, he had his time in a top car at Honda and got dominated by Jenson Button.

[Alien_SAP_Fiend]

Sato's role in F1 is now redundant seeing as Schumacher is no longer around for him to punt up the backside!

Although to be fair to him, he definately deserves a drive more than Davidson, who was a very slow driver in comparison - but then again, there are lots of other young drivers who probably deserve a shot in F1 rather than just giving Sato another chance, he had his time in a top car at Honda and got dominated by Jenson Button.

Sato is definitely quicker than Ant. He's just a bit loose and wild sometimes... although no more accident-prone than Jens Butt and David Coolturd have been of late.

I'd like to see him in a STR.

[Jabberwocky]

I think his driving style would suit touring cars/tin tops, something that can take more punishment. I also think F1 is worse of for not having him at the back, making up a load of places on the opening lap, in true banzai style

[FJuan]

I think Sato's opinion of himself is massively inflated.
He doesn't deserve another seat in F1.
If he wasn't Japanese Honda wouldn't want to know him.
He is F1's version of Shinya Nakano....
Bye bye Sato, don't let the door hit you on the way out.