OCTOBER 30, 2002

Sato switches to McLaren

Takuma Sato has long been a driver with Honda links and so it is no surprise that he should take part in Honda's two-day 'Enjoy Honda 2002' festival at the Motegi circuit. Sato however did not show up in a Jordan but rather at the wheel of a 1989 McLaren-Honda MP4/5, which is owned by Honda.

The MP4/5 won 10 Grands Prix in the 1989 season in the hands of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost and it was the car in which the two men collided at the Japanese GP that year.

Sato's future remains unclear for the moment as the Jordan team tries to work out how to finance its 2003 operations. It is expected that Eddie Irvine will be signed up and that this will bring renewed sponsorship from Benson & Hedges. The team has Giancarlo Fisichella under contract but he may be asked to take a cut in salary if the team cannot find the money it needs.