Keeping the Asian flag flying on F1 track
Financial Express  — June 27, 2004

Takuma Sato’s 3rd place finish at the US Grand Prix last week wasn’t just another first podium for a Formula 1 driver, but it’s a landmark event for motorsport in Asia. Having shown great speed and commitment all through the 2004 season, Sato richly deserved all the applauds he received on Sunday evening. He tends to take a little while to settle down. His erratic performances in the opening rounds of this year’s world championship did little in terms of  results. For sure, Indy will change him and his confidence will now be on a high. In my mind, Sato is the best driver ever to come from the Land of the Rising Sun, far better than Aguri Suzuki, Shinya Nakano or Tora Takagi. Right from his Formula 3 days where he drove for Carlin Motorsport he was touted as the next mega-star and his championship winning season in 2001, where he also won the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort and the Macau Grand Prix made people all over the world realise his potential. Sato’s first year of F1 with Jordan was a bit of a disaster in terms of results, but he was running with a team struggling for funds. 

Last year, when he returned to the BAR team as a test driver alongside his old F3 team-mate Anthony Davidson he gained that chance to improve and learn all about the complex world that is F1. In 2004 he was ready to show the world that he can live up to all the hype surrounding his arrival into the team following the sacking of 1997 world champion Jacques Villenueve. 

Unfortunately for Sato, he always had to live with the tag of being Honda’s golden-boy and therefore, his critics say he is in Formula 1 only because of the Japanese car giant. I don’t believe that for one second and I think his last few races prove me right. For sure Honda’s sales have benefited enormously from this year with both BAR F1 cars running strong, but in particular, I think Sato has played a huge role in improving their market share in Japan, where today he is a huge icon. Japan also needed a big F1 star to raise the profile of the sport in the country after the golden Honda era of the late 80’s and early 90’s. The diminutive BAR driver has certainly done that. 

The car manufacturers cannot underestimate the benefit of being involved with a Motorsports programme. In India, the TATA group has taken on a huge initiative by backing both Narain Karthikeyan and myself. Motorsport is today becoming a global phenomenon with audience figures rising every year. If TATAs or indeed any other manufacturer can do with an Indian what Honda 
have managed to do with Sato or what Mercedes tried to do with Michael Schumacher during his early days then the commercial and marketing benefits will be astronomical not only in one’s own country but also in other worldwide markets where they might have a presence. 

Sato’s results this year have also opened the eyes of the world’s leading team-owners to look out for further Asian talent. The effect of his performances in this respect will only be seen in years to come, as to whether or not we do see more Asian drivers being picked up by the men at the top of the sport. For now though, he is getting more and more comfortable with the BAR team, (which incidentally are based in the same village where I live!). Every race he is getting closer to team-mate Jenson Button. His progress will be keenly watched by Asians all over the world.