MAY 2, 2001
Sato getting used to life as a tester
TAKUMA SATO found life tough in testing for British American Racing at Silverstone on Tuesday because he had to run in a car set up for Jacques Villeneuve.
Rising Japanese star Sato won his first Formula Three race of the season last weekend, but was in a Formula One car just two days later to set the fourth fastest time of the day.
But the team did not want to develop the car for him because each driver uses a unique style of set-up and there is no point in testing a car with a set-up that does not resemble that which will be used at the races.
"The car wasn't my set up, but I can understand why the team has to work that way," said Sato. "Normally I have quite a long throttle pedal, but Jacques likes a really really short one - like an on-off button."
"I had to adapt to that driving style but I got used to it and I managed to do my usual job."
Meanwhile, Sato is coping with the physical exertions a Formula One car creates and the fact that he was doing long laps shows his physical development is improving.
"I am getting used to it little by little," he said. "Now my neck is quite reasonable and 20 laps of continuous running is no problem so I'm quite glad."