Turkey: Takuma Sato's really exciting race

By Phil Huff
August 21 2005

Takuma Sato's eventful weekend ended today with a storming drive from the back of the field, finishing just outside of the points following a demanding one-stop race.

"It was a mixed weekend for me," explains Takuma. "It was great on the one hand as I had a really exciting race, but it was a shame that I could not finish in the points today."

Takuma started the race from the back of the grid following a disastrous qualifying session. Initially he ran wide at the now notorious turn eight after his chassis hit the tarmac. After qualifying 14th due to that mistake, he cruised back to the pits, but not quite quick enough to prevent delaying the next car out, that of Mark Webber. Missing radio instructions were the cause but the stewards, quite rightly, felt it was necessary to send him to the back of the grid.

"Our qualifying positions cost us the result," continued Takuma, "but we tried a very different strategy today to try to make up some places."

Takuma drove a superb race in difficult circumstances, setting a fastest lap time just seven hundredths of a second slower than team mate Jenson Button, the sixth fastest of the race.

"The team has done a great job this weekend and I want to thank everybody who has worked so hard. I hope that we will be able to carry this momentum over to the next race."