The Tough Times of Takuma Sato
Some drivers crack under the pressure of driving in front of their home crowd. Others rise to the occasion and put in their best performance. Judging by the past three Japanese Grands Prix, Takuma Sato is about to have his best race of the year. It will also be his penultimate race with BAR-Honda, and you can expect some rather abusive banners on that topic from Taku's fans. So where did it all go wrong, and why?
There's a famous shop in Tokyo that is a Mecca for racing fans. It's packed to the ceiling with model cars and other memorabilia, and if you want a Ferrari 312T3 rear wing (it's been in stock for over a decade) or Michael Schumacher's overalls, you know where to go.
There's always a special buzz about the place when Grand Prix week arrives and the local media gets a bit of F1 fever. And of course, the face of the sport in Japan is not that of Schumacher or even Fernando Alonso, but Takuma Sato. His image is everywhere in the shop, staring out of every magazine cover. You can buy BAR hats and shirts, DVDs of his British F3 campaign, replicas of the chain he wears round his neck, or the latest hot item - a cushion shaped like his crash helmet.
Share Or Save This Story
Krack: Aston Martin F1 team no longer in “no-man’s land”
Gasly rues costly floor damage from Ocon contact in F1 Japanese GP
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Russell: Dirty air is causing F1 helmet turbulence problems
Vasseur: No guarantee that Ferrari F1 tyre issues are resolved
How an F1 underachiever became a Japanese political player
Ferrari "made too many mistakes" for podium fight at F1 Chinese GP
What is a wildcard in MotoGP and why is it used?
How abruptly slowing down helped WRT to WEC Imola victory
Arrow McLaren confirms Pourchaire for Barber Motorsports Park
How motorsport is embracing the opportunities of AI
The unlikely series providing an open door to innovation
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2023
How a lost Lotus that could have revolutionised Can-Am finally came to life
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
