Sato to jordan!!

[steve nielsen]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[steve nielsen]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[paulzinho]

When will EJ confirm this? Will Sato pay or be paid? Will Jordan get "better" engines than BAR?

[Bononi]

Why do we need Eddie to confirm Sato ? He's already there for 2002... and Honda told you so !

Good luck at CART Alesi !!

[f1manoz]

The signing of Sato is a smart move by Jordan because this basically guarantees Honda engines after 2002. Wonder what BAR will do now?

It's a shame Wilson missed out on the Jordan ride, but it shows how much political clout manufacturers now have.

[senna12]

Originally posted by f1manoz
Wonder what BAR will do now?

Just a theory.......how 'bout BAR-BMW?

Unlike other Japanese drivers, Takuma is not ****. IAYO is right, he is there on merit. I certainly wouldn't expect him to be quicker than the much more experienced Fisi in his first year, but you never know.

I wonder how easily Jean will be able to secure a CART ride? I expect Johnny Herbert can give him some advice on that!
He'd have a lot more fun in Touring Cars.............

[steve nielsen]

Jordan Signs Sato For 2002
Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda has signed this year's British Formula 3 Champion, Takuma Sato, to race for the team in 2002.

Sato's performance this year has impressed team boss Eddie Jordan, who has been monitoring his progress since he became the youngest Japanese driver to test for an F1 team when he ran in the Jordan Honda EJ10 in December 2000. Continuing his tradition of spotting up-and-coming talent and bringing new drivers into F1, Jordan has signed a two year contract with Sato, with an option on Jordan's side to extend the contract for an additional two years.

Takuma Sato dominated this year's British Formula 3 Championship, taking a record 12 race wins in 13 championship rounds and seizing international victories at the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort, Holland, and the non-championship Formula 3 support race at the British Grand Prix. No other race series in the world has produced as many F1 Grand Prix winners and World Champions as British Formula 3 - Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen are just three of the nine F1 World Champions schooled in the British F3 Championship.

Eddie Jordan said, "Sato has proved himself to be quick and outstandingly talented in the British Formula 3 Championship this year and deserves an opportunity to race in Formula One. Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda is delighted to be the team to give him this opportunity. Sato's contract with Jordan, along side the three year deal we have with Giancarlo Fisichella, gives Jordan vital continuity and a strong, long-term driver line up which will be key to our development with Honda. We hope that with the help of Honda and Bridgestone, we can develop Sato to make him the first Japanese driver to win a Grand Prix."

Takuma Sato said, "Today's announcement makes me extremely happy as it is the goal I set out to achieve by deciding to do a second year in Formula 3 and combine this with Formula One testing. I am very excited about joining Jordan and am very much looking forward to starting work with the team, who I know already from my testing with them last year. This is a fantastic opportunity for me."

www.jordangp.com

[steve nielsen]

Jean Alesi has announced that he is retiring from Formula 1 after this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
The Frenchman made a shock announcement in a Bridgestone press conference today in Tokyo. He refused to talk about his decision in any detail, only answering a question about his plans for next year with the words "I'm retiring."

His announcement came three hours after Jordan announced that they had chosen Japanese rookie Takuma Sato to race for the team next year. Alesi had said since he joined Jordan at the Hungarian Grand Prix that he would quit racing in Formula 1 if the team did not keep him on for next year. The chances of him driving for Arrows next year had already been dismissed.

His team boss Eddie Jordan and world champion Michael Schumacher were also at the Bridgestone press conference and were clearly surprised at Alesi's announcement.

Jordan has stated that he wants to keep the veteran at the team next year in some sort of role - but has not specified how. "With regards to Jean, he has been an inspiration to the team and it is our wish that he finds a role within Jordan for the future," said the Irishman. "We are currently working on defining this role and hope to announce it in due course."

Whether Alesi will want to stay at the team, maybe in some sort of driver training role, is open to question. Jordan has yet to speak to Alesi about his decision to sign Sato.


www.autosport.com

[Logan]

Looks like it's the final curtain call for Alesi then!

I can't see him taking up an admin role with Jordan some how. He strikes me as the kind of guy who will either race in F1 or get out completely (at least for a while).

Any chance he may want to go to CART or sportscars?

Logan.

[Bononi]

I hope Alesi doesn't get that job at Jordan... he still in great shape and can make a lot in CART.

Please Jean, don't stop.

[Tristan]

Best Asian driver ever. Sod Karthakayan, sod Katayama, and definatly sod Alex Yoong.

I hope he does really well. So does Honda. (does this mean Honda backing Jordan rather than BAR??)

[coop]

Justin Wilson is probably going to the US of A, but driving what?
And what is TGF? The Good Fairy, or The God at Ferrari?

[botsquad]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by coop
And what is TGF? The Good Fairy, or The God at Ferrari? /QUOTE]

tres gras foix

[Hugh Jarce]

I know F1 is a 'cut throat' old game but you can't help feeling Jordan have a bit to learn about personnel skills. Alesi won't be the first (or probably) the last to leave Jordan with something of axe to grind. Let's watch to see who is next to fall out with Uncle Eddie?