HARD CHARGE BUT NO CHEQUERED FLAG FOR TAKU.
04 April 2005 - Taku Sato

Takuma Sato has still to see the chequered flag this year

But at least the Bahrain Grand Prix, round three of this year''s World Championship, was enlivened by some typical hard-charging driving from the Japanese star in his BAR-Honda.

Sato may have retired with brake problems just after his first pitstop, but the eyes of the world were on Sato for the first 25 laps as he bravely fought off Pedro de la Rosa''s McLaren, Rubens Barrichello''s Ferrari and BAR team-mate Jenson Button as they warred over seventh place.

It was a great return for Taku, who was forced out of the preceding race in Malaysia due to illness. ''I was just pleased to be back in the cockpit,'' said Sato. ''I had been in the medical centre on a drip, I''d had blood tests. It was a virus, but I was fully recovered before we came to Bahrain.''

Unfortunately the virus seemed to have transferred itself to Sato''s BAR 007 for Friday practice. ''In the first session I had a gearbox problem - I did two installation laps and couldn''t go out again. In the second session I was able to do a few laps but I was struggling with rear stability problem and spun.'' Then a software problem was diagnosed and engine stopped, so he had to walk back to the pit one stage and he never thought he could go out again but ''the mechanics did a good job and sent me out again on a last minutes so that I did a few more laps and covered our tyre test. It was good surprised and I was happier!''

Practice went better on Saturday morning, meaning that Sato was able to prepare for his first qualifying run of 2005! ''Even including the winter testing I never had the opportunity to drive with lower fuel and in qualifying trim. It was a new experience for me, but I enjoyed the lap.''

It put Taku 13th, just behind Button. In the second run he stayed 13th: ''It was also a new experience for me qualifying on Sunday morning. I ran wide at one point because of understeer and lost momentum, nearly a second. That''s a shame, but it didn''t affect my qualifying position.''

For the fans that was actually a very good thing, because it led to some brilliant Sato battling. ''The temperatures are obviously very hot in Bahrain, but the heat is very dry. With a temperature of 42 degrees it was like being in a hairdrier! Off the line it was nothing spectacular, but in the first lap I gained two places and then at the end of the lap Pedro and Jenson were side by side at the last corner. I saw an opportunity. Jenson got a tow from Pedro and tried inside, but I got a double tow and I was inside even Jenson! Three cars were side by side and I got two places in one move. That was very exciting.''

Taku was now ninth and, when Giancarlo Fisichella''s Renault and Michael Schumacher''s Ferrari hit trouble, he was promoted to seventh. It was a hard-fought seventh though, as de la Rosa swarmed all over him for 20 laps, ducking this way and that but failing to find a way past Sato. Actually, he did find a way by at one point... for around two seconds before running wide and being repassed by Taku and losing out to Barrichello and Button.

By the time of his first stop Sato was up to fourth, indicating that he was carrying a heavier fuel load than most of those ahead. Barrichello pitted right behind him, but the BAR beat the Ferrari back onto the track.

''It was all looking good, but I had already been in trouble with brake problem from lap eight,'' said Taku. ''I saw a lot of brake dust from the front tyre. I tried and keep it easy on the brakes but same time I was being pushed big time by Pedro and had to defend a lot. The boys did a great job in the pitstop and we kept Rubens behind, but by the time I came out the brakes were almost gone completely. On the first lap out I couldn''t stop at all and I was in big trouble, so the team called me in because it was a dangerous situation.''

Still, at least there was positive progress from the Sakhir circuit. ''I had such a fun, hard race and was never overtaken. It was very positive and now we have two weeks of testing before the San Marino Grand Prix, where we will have an aero update kit and hopefully we will be stronger.''

Sato will run at Barcelona this week before moving to Paul Ricard next week. ''It feels like my season has just started. I''ve done qualifying and I''ve done a good race. I really enjoyed it and I''m sure we can do better.''

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