資料來源 F1-Live.com ( http://f1.racing-live.com/ )

Birth date : 28 January 1977
Birthplace : Tokyo
Marital status : Single
Height : 163 cm
Weight : 60 kg

(After Interlagos)
Wins : 0
Points scored : 37
Number of GP : 35
Pole Position : 0
Podiums : 1
First GP : 2002 (Melbourne)



Best result : 3
2004 championship position : 8
Current championship position (2005) : --
Team : BAR





Takuma Sato's racing debut came in 1996, the 24-year-old Japanese driver
saving the money to buy himself a KART before entering the Honda school the
following year. From there he has been nurtured by the engine giant and
landed a fully paid drive in the All Japan Formula three Championship in
1998. However, he opted to pass this opportunity by and made the move to
Europe instead.

The Diamond Racing team became his home during that season where he contested
several Formula Vauxhall events before being promoted to Formula Opel. For
the 1999 season he took sixth place in the Formula Opel Euroseries for his
first full season of racing as well as participating in the last few rounds
of the British F3 Championship. (Class B) Graduating to Carlin Motorsport and
Class A in the 2000 championship, Takuma laid claim to no less than five
victories to finish third overall. His first taste of an F1 car came later
that year when he underwent tests for both BAR and Jordan Grand Prix,
eventually signing a deal with BAR as their 2001 test driver.

He continued in F3 and took the title after winning 12 out of a possible 13
events, a very prestigious result. He also went on to win The Marlboro
Masters at Zandvoort and the Macau event later in the year.

He made the step up into full time Formula One, signing a deal with Jordan to
drive alongside Giancarlo Fisichella for the 2002 championship season. Sato
ended the season with a fifth position at Suzuka. With strong backing from
Honda, Takuma Sato spent 2003 as BAR Honda test driver before being called
into action for the season finale in Japan to replace Jacques Villeneuve.
Sato drove a solid race and a fine sixth position was his reward.

Returning to Formula One full time in 2004, Sato proved fast from the outset
but his season was beset by poor reliability. While team-mate Button took
race result after race result, Sato was not so fortunate. Eighth position in
the championship was a reasonable result for Sato, his best result coming
with a fine third position at the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Heading to
2005 the pressure is now on Sato to raise his game still further and take the
challenge to team-mate Jenson Button.


1997   Karting, Japan, 1°
1998   F. Opel, England
1999   F. Opel, Europe, 1° / F3, England
2000   F3, England, 3°
2001   F3, England, 1° / Macao, 1° / Zandvoort, 1°
2002   F1 (Jordan), 15°, 2 points
2003   F1 (BAR), test driver
2004   F1 (BAR), 8°, 34 points