Takuma Sato, the highly rated Japanese driver, has signed a two-year race deal to race with the Jordan team beginning in 2002.

Only six years ago, Takuma Sato was a teenaged bicycle racer in Japan, dreaming that his two-wheeled chain-driven mount was a powerful racing car. Now that dream has become reality, as he stands on the verge of a glittering Formula 1 career.

In 1996, Sato scraped together what money he had to buy a kart and, the following year, to enter Honda's Suzuka Racing School scholarship. He won the prize, a fully paid drive in the 1998 All-Japan Formula 3 Championship, but passed it up in order to pursue his desire of reaching Formula One. To do that he had to go to Europe.

Arriving in mid '98, he contested a handful of Formula Vauxhall Junior races, mainly with the small Diamond Racing team, then at the end of the year graduated with Diamond to Formula Opel. In '99, his first full year of car racing, he took sixth place in the hotly contested EFDA Formula Opel Euroseries, and also competed in the last few rounds of the British F3 Championship in Class B.

Sato joined Carlin Motorsport for 2000 to compete in the F3 'A' class, winning a total of five races and taking third place in the British championship. By now he had been noticed by Grand Prix teams, and in December got his first F1 tests with Jordan and British American Racing. BAR signed him as a test driver for 2001, and he also became contracted to Honda for the first time.

Remaining in F3 for 2001, Sato started the season as clear favourite for the British championship, with good reason. He sped to 12 wins, as well as victories in the Marlboro Masters of F3 at Zandvoort and the international race supporting the British Grand Prix. Combined with his successes in 2000, Sato broke the record for wins in the British F3 Championship. He also impressed with his test outings for BAR, which took place mainly at Silverstone and Mugello.

Jordan’s engine supplier, Honda, has supported the 24-year-old throughout his racing career and has wanted a domestic driver to ensure it receives a good amount of the headlines in its home country. This has taken on added significance since arch-rival Toyota are to enter Formula One next season.

Despite the attentions of Honda, there can be no doubt that the man from Japan has got the Jordan seat on merit. His record breaking 2001 season is proof of that. Eddie Jordan explains, “He has learned the hard way, coming to Europe to race in the junior formulae and becoming the first Japanese driver to win an F3 Championship on European soil. He has shown he has ability and it is on that basis that we signed him. He has proven himself and we have signed him on ability.”

Now aged 24, Sato’s racing talent and achievements have paved his way to enter Formula One with Jordan Grand Prix in 2002 and he is obviously delighted. “As the result of becoming the British F3 champion, winner at the Marlboro Masters, and F1 test driver, I thank Mr. Eddie Jordan for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I am very proud and exhilarated to join the 2002 F1 championship as a Honda powered Jordan team driver.
I first entered the motor racing world from SRS-F (Suzuka Racing School Formula) in 1997. Since I did not have any racing career prior, SRS-F was the quickest and important step for upper category racing. I think standing here today toward a big challenge is a true starting line.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported me.”

Honda’s CEO, Mr Takeo Fukui, is equally pleased, ““I am very happy to hear that Sato is Joining F1. He is also highly regarded in Europe for becoming the first Japanese British F3 champion and for his other accomplishments. I am proud that one of Honda’s Training Program graduates became a F1 driver and expect him to do well in the future.”