Jv: I Never Doubted Bmw

[monza gorilla 1]

There have been many drivers who excelled in the lower categories only to fail when they reached F1. Jan Magnussen springs to mind.

[Senna 0]

There have been many drivers who excelled in the lower categories only to fail when they reached F1. Jan Magnussen springs to mind.

Excellent example monza!

[kiko01 0]

There have been many drivers who excelled in the lower categories only to fail when they reached F1. Jan Magnussen springs to mind.

Sato looked to be a good racer...

[Senna 0]

Sato looked to be a good racer...

What engines did he use?

[kiko01 0]

What engines did he use?

I don

[monza gorilla 1]

Excellent example monza!

Thank you, Senna. Although success in lower formulae may justify promotion to the pinnacle of the sport, it does not guarantee of success. I think young Mr Hamilton will find that out, should he be elevated to F1 in the future.

[kiko01 0]

What engines did he use?

Source: Pitpass

Biography

Unlike most of his rivals, Takuma had his first experience of motor racing at a relatively late age. indeed as a youngster Takuma preferred racing bicycles, and eventually moved to racing karts just a few years ago.

In 1996, he scraped together what money he had to buy a kart and, the following year, entered 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-1998, 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, at which time he also became contracted to Honda.

Remaining in British F3 for 2001, Sato started the season as clear favourite for the title, with good reason. He sped to 12 wins, as well as victories in the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort and the international F3 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.

[Senna 0]

I don

[monza gorilla 1]

Quelle surprise! Quelle horreur.......

[kiko01 0]

Correct!

Wish my exams at the uni would have been so easy

[nojvnof1 0]

Didn't Sato dominate British F3 in 2001??

[Kopite Girl 0]

Didn't Sato dominate British F3 in 2001??

Yes, he did. Why he could not carry that into F1, we'll never know.

[pumpdoc 2]

Yes, he did. Why he could not carry that into F1, we'll never know.

Simple F1 is not F3.................

[Kopite Girl 0]

Good enough answer for me, PD.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Jan Magnussen was very impressive in F3. Martin Brundle pushed Ayrton Senna very hard for the title in F3. In 1999, Marc Hynes won it. How many of u have even heard of him? Just shows you cant really judge the drivers til they get to f1. Thats why I prefer not to comment much on Nico or Kovalainen til I've seen them race in f1

[kiko01 0]

Fernando Alonso only won one race in F3 (i have to say his car was crap but the fact is that he wasn

[Senna 0]

Didn't Sato dominate British F3 in 2001??

What engines was he using?

Jan Magnussen was very impressive in F3. Martin Brundle pushed Ayrton Senna very hard for the title in F3. In 1999, Marc Hynes won it. How many of u have even heard of him? Just shows you cant really judge the drivers til they get to f1. Thats why I prefer not to comment much on Nico or Kovalainen til I've seen them race in f1

Senna trounced MB for the first half of the season until the Brit was given a better engine. Ayrton only discovered this near the end of the championship and they had identical engines in the last race. Guess who won.