Sato will lose fastest qualifying time !!

[Mark F1]

Apparently Takuma Sato will lose his best time in qualifying after exiting the pit lane in the first Practice Session when the red light was still ON

I don't really know how this can be possible when there is a BIG signal at the end of the pit lane that is clearly visable to everyone.

Ok Takuma, green = Ok to go out onto the track, Red = Stay in the pits until green lights show

Ok, now I am being a bit sarcastic !!

[paulzinho]

Sounds like Mika Hakkinen at Indy last year!!

[alesi95]

Do I hear a signal to start the "Sato Bashing."?

Things don't look good for Satos future, You've got to wonder how much influence Honda has over Jordan, ( apparently Honda is jordans biggest sponsor.) and how much Jordan want Hondas support.

Honda engines are a bit duff.

[Mantis13]

Wow the guy is going into his third race and people are already righting him off. You have to wonder if perhaps the pressure of being Japan's next great hope may be effecting him. Anyways I think he'll sort things out. The guy has got alot of talent and I firmly believe that regardless of his nationality he would have made it to F1 after the superb year he had in F3

[paulzinho]

Actually why did EJ send him out of the garage when the red light was on?

[Peter Mallett]

Mantis and Paulzinho,

Two valid points but as they say, "if you can't stand the heat eschew the catering area".

Sorry but so far he's not even been good enough to be unimpressive has he?

[Kex]

I suppose it was like the Hakkinen thing at Indy.

I agree that Sato is under too much pressure and so is not performing the best he could do. Then again Japan's not the best breeding ground for brilliant F1 drivers....

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Kex
..................................Then again Japan's not the best breeding ground for brilliant F1 drivers....

I genuinely want to know why that is. I made the point in another thread but nobody responded.

Suzuki (f'rinstance) was pretty useless in F1 but as I recall he was an ace at Le Mans. Now I know that applies to a lot of drivers who can't cut it in F1 but I am really surprised at the high level of mediocrity (a relative term) spawned by Japan.

[neilap]

I say hang him by his balls! What is the big deal. He now has to prove he can be consistent. If he is F1 material he should be able to do that. So if It seems he is just having a trial by fire in F1. If it is not the car then its him. Tell you what, if he makes it he will be one of the most resilliant people in racing. What a start. I am still on the Sato band wagon. I fugure he needs one person to believe in him.

[Kex]

I don't know really. Maybe it's something to do with genetics I don't know. Europeans are generally more successful at F1. Africans are generally better at long-distance running (a bloke from Morocco was unbeaten for several years over a certain distance). That was just an example of this 'theory' in a different sport.

Suzuki has the best finish for a Japanese driver, finishing third for Lola at Japan '90. I don't remember the race so I don't know how he managed it, but according to the results he beat both Williams cars. 10 cars were classified as finishers in that race.

Maybe it's just the fact that the industry is bigger in Europe than the Far East.

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

I wonder if its their breeding championships like formula Nippon. They don't get exposed to other nationalities until they leave the country and head to europe. Maybe by that time irts too late to instill that competitive edge?

As an aside I remember being in Vietnam and trying to teach the Cyclo drivers to race. We couldn't bribe them to go faster because they just didn't see the point. Yet the winner got five dollars for a thirty cent ride. Five dolars was a week's wages. Maybe it's the eastern culture.

[BD]

Sure its genetics. But its not racial genetics. Its family genetics. F1 drivers are the combination of opportunity and talent. Some have more of each than others.
Sato is extremely talented and deserves to be in F1, even with a team not using Japanese motors.
Theres only been 2 races. He has alot of time to prove himself over the season. I hope he does well.

[Peter Mallett]

BD<

Much as I don't rate him I still think he deserves a shot if he's got this far. However, after Button and Raikonnen and even Heidfeld in the right team, I think he's got an even bigger hill to climb. Don't see him making it though, sorry.

[Speed]

Originally posted by Kex
I don't know really. Maybe it's something to do with genetics I don't know. Europeans are generally more successful at F1.

Hehehehe, what about Argentinians, Brazilians and the Great Columbian...
Of course, Europeans have more achievements, but that´s because they had more opportunities before due to the origin of the sport per se.

Don´t mix racing with genetics, that´s BS...

[neilap]

BD is right it has to do with what your parents give you not your race. It has only been 2 races people. One his car let him down.

[BootsOntheSide]

A few overseas drivers do race in Formula Nippon, Irvine, Ralf and PDLR have all done it. Certainly South Americans have been as successful as Europeans, but many of these have strong European genetic roots anyway (Montoya is pretty much the only successful South American driver to not look European- though curious alongside this to note that Spanish and Portugese drivers have never achieved anything sensational, only in Bikes and Rallying). Back tot he topic in hand, I still think Carlin's engine advantage in F3 made Sato look better than he is, and the decision to hire Takuma ahead of Justin Wilson was made for money not talent (damn the demise of the British motor industry!)

[BD]

I dont buy the genetic heritage ****. Some people are more talented than others. Period. Opportunity is the other deciding factor. Most of the F1 drivers raced karts before they were 12. I didnt have that opportunity. I raced my first kart at 23. I'm already disqualified.(plus I dont have the talent anyway)
Look at these peoples backgrounds and it becomes more obvious. Even the great Senna came from a rich background...

[Sato san]

Sato's made a mistake ! , but also it must have been a bad decision by the team for not getting on the radio and telling him to stop at the end of the pit lane.

[botsquad]

Originally posted by paulzinho
Sounds like Mika Hakkinen at Indy last year!!

well....mmmmmmmmmmm..not really..
since.

mika was penalised on sunday morning (race day)
ie..after the fact of qualifing

infraction...running a (track closed) red light.

and..unlike mika....this penalty..maybe..just maybe.
not deny him a first row start....

[Nicholas]

EJ seems to like him and seems to be very patient with him, so maybe he knows something we don't...did he ever make mistakes in F3? I thought Fisi and Ralf were both a bit "over-excited" in '97, perhaps he will sort things out eventually.

As for the genetics, it's rubbish, it all depends on your environment, how wealthy you are and how early you start

[Kex]

Fair enough, genetics has nothing to do with it. My bad.

[Nicholas]

Actually, having read your post, there might be a bit of truth, there is quite a bit of evidence.

[BD]

Originally posted by nicholaswhite

As for the genetics, it's rubbish, it all depends on your environment, how wealthy you are and how early you start

Actually genetics is important. Look at Ralf and Michael. They both grew up in an advantageous situation. Their parents own a karting track. They both started at a very early age.
But Michael is clearly a faster driver than Ralf. He's like a living computer. He's even better built for racing than Ralf; shorter and lighter. Michael lucked out in the gene pool lottery. Ralf got the left overs.

[Valve Bounce]

When he saw the big red roundel, he yelled 'BANZAI' and charged.

[BBKing]

He is trying to beat Zonta in the most unimpresive "next Senna" contest....LOL