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- Tezuka18
8/2/08
As rumoured over the past couple of weeks, Takuma Sato will test with Scuderia Toro Rosso with a view to joining the team as replacement for Sebastian Vettel next season.
The Formula One refugee, sidelined following the collapse of the Super Aguri team after the Spanish Grand Prix in May, has made no secret of his desire to return to the top flight, and was first linked with a possible STR outing at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month. 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 Toro Rosso team admits that, having resigned itself to the loss of Sebastian Vettel to Red Bull Racing next season, it is time to focus on finding an adequate replacement, especially as current team-mate Sebastien Bourdais continues to find his feet in F1. Team boss Gerhard Berger said at the weekend that Bourdais has six races left in which to convince him that he is worthy of a second season at Faenza, and pointed out that Red Bull could still have the final say in the shape of his line-up in 2009.
Sato and Buemi will each get a day behind the wheel of the current STR3 at the Jerez test, although it is expected that the Swiss youngster will have more time to make use of the outing, having already been made familiar with the car - or, at least, the similar RB4 run by Red Bull Racing, for which he is official test driver. Sato, meanwhile, will bring the wisdom gleaned from his 91-race grand prix career - in which he has raced for Jordan, BAR, Honda and Super Aguri - knowing that Berger has said that he would like to pair youth and experience in his 2009 squad.
"The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Vettel," team principal Franz Tost confirmed, "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, but 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."
Toro Rosso has confirmed that Buemi will test on Wednesday 17 September, with Sato taking over 24 hours later.
http://www.takumasato.org/mediaInformationNews.asp?nid=168438
As rumoured over the past couple of weeks, Takuma Sato will test with Scuderia Toro Rosso with a view to joining the team as replacement for Sebastian Vettel next season.
The Formula One refugee, sidelined following the collapse of the Super Aguri team after the Spanish Grand Prix in May, has made no secret of his desire to return to the top flight, and was first linked with a possible STR outing at the Hungarian Grand Prix last month. 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 Toro Rosso team admits that, having resigned itself to the loss of Sebastian Vettel to Red Bull Racing next season, it is time to focus on finding an adequate replacement, especially as current team-mate Sebastien Bourdais continues to find his feet in F1. Team boss Gerhard Berger said at the weekend that Bourdais has six races left in which to convince him that he is worthy of a second season at Faenza, and pointed out that Red Bull could still have the final say in the shape of his line-up in 2009.
Sato and Buemi will each get a day behind the wheel of the current STR3 at the Jerez test, although it is expected that the Swiss youngster will have more time to make use of the outing, having already been made familiar with the car - or, at least, the similar RB4 run by Red Bull Racing, for which he is official test driver. Sato, meanwhile, will bring the wisdom gleaned from his 91-race grand prix career - in which he has raced for Jordan, BAR, Honda and Super Aguri - knowing that Berger has said that he would like to pair youth and experience in his 2009 squad.
"The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Vettel," team principal Franz Tost confirmed, "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, but 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."
Toro Rosso has confirmed that Buemi will test on Wednesday 17 September, with Sato taking over 24 hours later.
http://www.takumasato.org/mediaInformationNews.asp?nid=168438
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