Sayonara Sato-san: A tribute to Takuma - Part 2

By Phil Huff
November 20 2005

Takuma Sato leaves BAR Honda this year following four years and 34 races with the team. Here's part two of BAR-Talk.com's pictorial tribute to Taku, presenting 2003.

Following a year racing for the Jordan Grand Prix team, Takuma Sato went into 2003 as a BAR Honda test driver, but came out as a point scoring race driver!


Following a year racing with the Jordan Grand Prix team, 14 January 2003 sees Takuma announced as a test driver with BAR.


Moments after the announcement, the testing begins at Barcelona.


Running the new BAR 005 as hard as possible, testing continues until late in the evening.


There's not long before the PR duties need fulfilling. Here's Takuma in his new 005, with a remote control helicopter filming him as he goes.


That's followed by more PR duties. This time it's skiing on Mont Blanc.


And that's followed by powerboating around Monaco. It's a tough life.


Everyone enjoys a summer bike ride, but Takuma takes his in the L'Etape Du Tour from Pau to Bayonne, the 16th stage of the Tour de France.


After a season testing, Sato gets his break. He's announced as a 2004 race driver with BAR Honda on the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix, partnering Jenson Button.


Taku doesn't have to wait until 2004, though. With the BAR/Villeneuve relationship breaking down, Sato is promoted for the final race of 2003.


A tough debut race for BAR Honda went well, though.


A sixth place finish for Takuma helps the team secure fifth in the constructors championship. There could hardly be a better way to end the season.