Sato dominates at Zandvoort

The Japanese, who has scored nine wins in Britain this year, drove away from the field in his Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen Honda once he'd broken the tow to his pursuers in the first half-lap.

Fellow front-row starter Benoit Treluyer lost the race in the first two seconds. The Frenchman's Signature Dallara-Renault hit gearbox problems and, by the time Treluyer had finally found drive in third gear, he was well down the field. He broke his front wing in a midfield scramble two laps later but gallantly plugged on to the finish in 24th place as car after car went by.

Andre Lotterer made what he said was a "very brilliant" start to lance his way into second from fifth on the grid at the first corner. From then on the Jaguar Racing star was outdriven by Sato, and instead had to concentrate on fending off the race winner's team mate Anthony Davidson.

Davidson was superb on the opening lap to move up from 10th to fourth. Then, when third-placed Bruce Jouanny spun at the Hugenholtzbocht on lap two, the Briton moved up to third. An early challenge from Gianmaria Bruni faded, Davidson thereafter keeping the pressure on Lotterer - and trying a couple of half-moves on the brakes into the Tarzanbocht - to take the final podium position.

"To come from 10th to third in a straight fight is pretty satisfying," said Davidson.

An overjoyed Sato said: "This is the biggest step in my career so far. I didn't make a good start, but the first corner was the main happening for me. After that I just kept going, keeping the tyres in good condition to the end, as I always do in the British championship. On lap four I got into the 1m35s, and I was still there two laps from the end."

While the British championship runners dominated, the other leading contenders had a bad day. Ryo Fukuda speared off the road at Gerlach on the first lap while trying to run side-by-side Bruni, then sparked a major midfield collision when he rejoined the circuit at Hugenholtz. From then on the Japanese charged back to ninth, right on the tail of Toshihiro Kaneishi and Tony Schmidt.

Tiago Monteiro was passed on the opening lap by both Bruni and Davidson, the Portuguese holding on in the face of a challenge from the very impressive Mark Taylor to take fifth.



Takuma Sato (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 25 laps in 39m58.870s
Andre Lotterer (Jaguar Racing Dallara-Mugen) +9.228s
Anthony Davidson (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +9.687s
Gianmaria Bruni (Fortec Dallara-Renault) +17.281s
Tiago Monteiro (ASM Dallara-Renault) +18.038s
Mark Taylor (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +20.617s
Toshihiro Kaneishi (Bertram Schafer Racing Dallara-Opel) +21.978s
Tony Schmidt (GM Motorsport Dallara-Toyota) +22.307s
Ryo Fukuda (Saulnier Racing Dallara-Renault) +22.990s
Derek Hayes (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) +26.285s

Fastest lap Sato 1m35.240s