Sato Finished At Jordan

[Guy Goddard2]

After yet another accident which was down to driver error and again almost taking his team mate out in the process, surely it is time for Sato to be dropped.

Just how many more cars does he need to destroy before he his shown the door or before he hurts someone eles on the track?.

Is the Honda deal really worth the money Sato is costing Jordan in new cars?

If/when he is dropped who would replace him?.





Regards


Guy

[Epsilon]

I don't know who'd replace him, maybe Zonta. But I'm starting to think that he has no place in F1, and that he's an even worse driver than two-penalties-in-one-race Esteban Tuero. I mean, Burti was like that at Prost last year, and I think it's no coincedence that Prost no longer exists.

[Ralf's Girl]

I wonder if Eddie Jordan has a repair bill for all Sato's accidents...

I'll just reiterate what I've been saying since before the start of the season - Justin Wilson should have got the drive.

[Marcel ten Caat]

According to Eddie Jordan they have a contract with Takuma Sato that is waterproof for 2 years (noone can break it) with an option for another 2 years.

But what's a contract worth in the current F1 world?

Could there be a clause that might release him with a lot of money (money that isn't available for Jordan).

As replacement, Zonta is already racing in World Series V6 and doing well there, i know one driver that is available, drove for Honda before and one that Jordan wants in his team...i meant the (flying) Dutchman, Verstappen.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally posted by Stranger
According to Eddie Jordan they have a contract with Takuma Sato that is waterproof for 2 years (noone can break it) with an option for another 2 years.

If Sato lasts two years (which looks doubtful on his current form) then nobody in their right mind would take up an option on another two.

[rlinter]

There are really 2 factors here.

1) The quality or otherwise of the car....

Given that the complete technical team has had a complete rejig in recent weeks then it is logical to assume that the car was pants and the time since the new personel then it might to fix the car.

2) The quality or otherwise of Takuma's driving....
Given a well prepared car he can go well look at his F3 days, the question is his temperance and his maturity have been raised by many so only time will tell.

[jiggly_puff]

i think he needs to be replaced not only is he a danger to himself but to everyone else - he's just not ready for f1!

[Robert]

Give him time, he is a great racer, a possible future WDC. He was easily the best in F3 last year, he can't have become a poor driver overnight.

Robert

[Mania]

Interestingly, Sato said he was trying to let Fisicella by - that was a unique way to to so - going off line in the tunnell!

Personally, Ive always believed he`s in the team cos Eddie is sucking up to Honda. If Honda sticks with Jordan next season, then Sato is safe if not then who knows...

I'd like to see Junqueira get a drive in F1....maybe in a Honda....

[MichaelC]

Sato's been a bit of a disaster so far, and I would not be remotely surprised if any sensible team manager kicked him out.
However, as pointed out above he can't have become a bad driver overnight. Perhaps like Zonta, he's just not suited to F1. Remember that Zonta won in a lot of different categories, including F300 and FIA GT, and was then frankly **** in F1 (sorry Liz, he was!!)
I'm sure there's a great drive for Taku somewhere, but I remain to be convinced that F1 is it. However, Ralf crashed quite often when he first came into Jordan, so perhaps TS is just taking a while to get settled in. Although we are almost half way through the season...

[M Coupe]

Originally posted by Mania
Interestingly, Sato said he was trying to let Fisicella by - that was a unique way to to so - going off line in the tunnell!

I couldn't believe it when I heard him say that. He has done enough motorsport to understand it is slippery off line. To try and let someone past on a bend, and a high speed one at that is silly, why didn't he wait until the straight bit just before the chicane.

I'd give him a few more races before EJ kicks him out if he doesn't improve.

As for a replacement, how about Dario Franchitti, can't have enough Scotsmen in F1.

[Baby Spice]

I still don't know why EJ fired Frentzen, maybe someone know why, yet he scored in Arrows, fantastic race.

[Mygale]

Originally posted by jiggly_puff
not only is he a danger to himself but to everyone else - he's just not ready for f1!

this is a joke quote i assume ? some people need to open their eyes a little bit and look at the whole picture . From what i can see , Takuma made a stupid choice of where to try and let his team mate past , the other week alot of people was saying that he didnt have the speed to be in Formula 1 , now its because he is a danger to everyone . What a stupid things people say sometimes.
How many people crashed in todays race ? are they all a danger to everyone as well .

And Ralfs Girl , i assume you are a big fan of Ralf , well i would have thought you would have understood that sometimes great drivers need time to settle in Grand Prix Racing . As if you looked at your man in 1997 , Ralf was all over the place in his rookie year , crashed quite a few times into different people , and was a right nightmare for Eddie Jordan ! , but given time he has come good and is now a top driver . So maybe you need to be thankful that Eddie never sacked Ralf in 97 as Ralf probally would be in Cart now if he had .

[Markules]

Well if EJ sacked him, I guess someone like Junqueira or Alonso (how come people keep forgetting him? He was great in that Minardi last year!) would be ideal replacements, or Mark Webber - no doubt with recent announcements, PS wouldn't turn down a bit of compensation now Webber's basically done more than the team had expected of him, rack up a couple of points.

But I hope EJ doesn't get rid of him just yet. The car's only just starting to improve, and fair is fair...

[neilap]

I have always said give that guy a chance. However when he becomes a liability then it is time for a change. He started out like a super star. He made up four places in the start and was on a rapid pace (realtively speaking)then he threw it away. I want to see him in F1 if nothing else just to prove that a Japanese can do it. He is in dire straits.

[VaVaVoom]

Wilson should have been driving for Jordan in the first place! Sato has done nothing for Jordan, apart from show how the car can withstand major impacts.

I think Sato should calm down and make way for someone else instead of doing himself serious injury or killing himself like a Japanese fighter pilot (Kamacase??(excuse the spelling))

[Robert]

It might be prudent to point out that Sato has only DNF'd from 2 races this year due to driver error, this one and Spain, when he spun out on lap 12. I know he nudged Fisi in Malaysia but, it was only his 2nd F1 race and both cars finished the race.

Robert

[steve nielsen]

Junqeira and Alonso both are under contract, but I think Jos would want to drive for EJ and prove TW wrong!

[BootsOntheSide]

Is Sato an inpetuous, incompetant liability. Many of us think so, most of those he drives agaisnt think so, I dare say Eddie Jordan now things so, but Crasg.net seeming doesn't:

"Taku impresses at Monaco.


Takuma Sato was among the stars of the Monaco Grand Prix, enjoying his best performance in Formula One and running ahead of established team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella in the early stages.
The Japanese rookie made a flying start to the 78-lap race, and had risen to ninth place from his 16th grid slot before retiring in unfortunate circumstances on lap 23.

Running ahead of Fisichella as they climbed into the top ten, Taku had just dived past Toyota's Mika Salo at Mirabeau when he was asked by the Jordan team to move aside for the Italian. Trying to give his team-mate room in the tunnel section of the circuit, Takuma moved off-line, picked up dirt on his tyres and slid into the barrier as a result.

The incident took place on the fastest point of the two-mile street course, and resulted in Taku taking a toboggan ride down the hill to the Nouvelle Chicane. Fisichella, still behind the leading Jordan at the time, reacted quickly enough to avoid contact. Taku was unhurt in the incident, despite the left hand-side of his car being damaged, and was able to climb out and return to the pits unaided."

Taku may not have the best driving, but he seems to have the best press officer if he manage to swing a report like that after such a bone-headed move.

[steve nielsen]

HHF was fired by EJ while doing a lot better last year......

[Yoong Montoya]

Sato may not have shown much so far, but: could he repeat Montoya's performance last year? Not so much as winning a race, but maturing into a good driver and consistently beating his teammate? Or will he go the way of Luciano Burti? After all, it was a miracle that Burti survived Spa 2001 at all, let alone without permanent injury.

[nameless]

i think there have been some harsh comments about sato here, true everytime i see him i fear for the wall but how many drivers in the past have had erratic first seasons, ralf for example and i seem to remember jenson button drove into a few people in his first season. i think we should give him time as he does appear an exciting driver who at least tries to race unlike some people, e.g. he overtook at mirabeau and he has provided us with some excitng racing

[Bibendum]

I remember being struck early in the race by the astonishing car control Sato displayed; it was very sad that he chose an...odd place to let Fisi pass, but I do think the preponderance of evidence is that (a) he is capable of going very fast and (b) he needs to be given a chance to come to grips with the car and all the tracks. I am persuaded by the comparison to Ralf: the younger Schumacher did all kinds of dumb impetuous moves in his early years, and I think in the next couple of years (if Williams keeps their act together, and I assume they will) he has a crack at the WDC. So I say, let Sato have a little time. In these crashes and breakdowns there are so many unassessable factors -- like Heidfeld backing into Sato, which I just saw on ABC's Bernie-feed -- that it seems premature to judge anyone, even on half a season.

[EERO]

Bear in mind Jan Magnusson who was the Second Coming in F3 and never amounted to hooey in F1. Sato may be wild, but he seems to have the pace. His move today doesn't bode well, but I believe, still, that he is an enourmous talent and that he will settle down. And I agree with the comparison with Ralfie-its entirely appropriate,

[neilap]

They guy is fast. Judgment is his problem. He was told to move over so it seems he did it right away. In that corner it was not a prudent move. He could have done it after the chicane. Sato is in the same position as Honda at the moment; improving but struggling.