Sato or Davidson??

[Rennen]

You could tell em F3lollipops!...you saw all their races...funny how some people comment without ever having seen Ant race (they only ever saw those 2 Minardi outtings which only would have netted him last place despite setting a faster race lap than Webber.)

The sign of a good race driver is 'adaptability' 'versatility' and the ability to assimilate new information and situations very quickly...that's Ant.

I couldn't imagine Ant doing what Sato did to Barrichello last weekend...Ant would have calculated it, and the move would have come out of the blue to RB...just as he did to Sato at Castle Coombe in F3 at Camp corner!...remember F3lollypops.

Ant had 3 World Champions as advisors in his long karting career...they all gave him equipment without charge, because there was a good reason to!

[tblincoe]

i think that sato stays due to honda involvement... but who i would take? hard to tell as both guys are quick, i think i would take davidson as i've seen sato make too many mistakes so far this season

[N I Tram]

Sato is fast, no doubt about it, and he does have less overall experience, although more in F1. His pace has been impressive, but he's making a lot of stupid mvoes at the moment, and is looking like a hazard to everyone else right now. Then again, Ant's record of 2 races, 2 spins isn't so good.

I think Friday testing isn't a true reflection of Ant's potential either, because the car isn't race set-up, and he seems to run more revs and use the tyres more.

The F3 comparison is quite even. Ant was a rookie that year, whereas Sato had done 2 seasons, but Ant knew most of the tracks, and Taku was racing in a foreign land, which can be tough on a young guy.

For now, I'll say Taku's the right guy, but Ant could defiantely do the job in a race seat. Maybe loaning him to Jordan would be a nice goodwill gesture consdiering what Jordan did for Honda in the late 90s?

[Raven]

Originally posted by N I Tram
Sato is fast, no doubt about it, and he does have less overall experience, although more in F1. His pace has been impressive, but he's making a lot of stupid mvoes at the moment,

Apart from his challenge on Barrichello, where else has Sato made a lot of stupid moves?

[ASCII Man]

Mowing the grass at Melbourne to give one example.

[Sato san]

Originally posted by N I Tram
The F3 comparison is quite even. Ant was a rookie that year, whereas Sato had done 2 seasons, but Ant knew most of the tracks, and Taku was racing in a foreign land, which can be tough on a young guy.

Actually to be fair ...Taku did know all the tracks as he had raced in F3 the year and half before...

Davidson's 2001 F3 season was mighty impressive i think , and he won the International F3 races to at Pau etc....although he did shunt at Macau ....but by mid seasoj he was pushing Taku hard and matching him .

Davidson is a true star in the making i believe , and like Rennen says , Castle Coombe says alot , Davidson is so laid back and calm , he seems to take it all in his stride as if he cant understand why other drivers cant ...Taku and Ant pushed each other very impressivly back then in F3 ...but both were outstanding i believe for different reasons ...

Davidson was outstanding because it was his rookie year in F3 , after he had just came out of a brilliant F Ford Festival win ..yet he had already been racing Karts for along time (with the best works teams i believe )against drivers liek Jenson etc and had a lot of experience to draw from ....

Sato was only in his 4th year of racing ever after persuing a Cycling career back in Japan ( Tour De France type stuff ) was imediately on the pace against drivers of the Calibre of Martin O'connell etc also racing in a land that was unfamilar to him ,within 2 years he had tested a F1 car and was British F3 and champion of Macau !...

Both drivers have shown tremedous class and total natural ability in my opinon .

[deeks6]

Davo was actually the closest to Webber of all his teammmates so he can go.
I don't think you can compare the Friday practices though - all the drivers are on different programs.
Sato deserves his spot right now.

[KA]

Originally posted by N I Tram
Sato is fast, no doubt about it, and he does have less overall experience, although more in F1. His pace has been impressive, but he's making a lot of stupid mvoes at the moment, and is looking like a hazard to everyone else right now.

Is Sato really making THAT many stupid moves, and does he REALLY look like a hazard to everyone else? Yes, the move on Barrichello last weekend was pretty dumb given his race situation, but to be honest, it wasn't a lot worse than a variety of moves I've seen made by practically every other driver on the grid at some time in the last few years-(even Michael has been known to try an ill-advised attempt to overtake on occasion- remember his botched pass on Sato at Suzuka last year?)

I do get the feeling that for some reason, his mistakes do seem sometimes to be given a little more attention both on website forums (although not particularly this one....) and in the press than other people's- maybe it's a result of the (not totally-deserved...) reputation as a crasher he seemed to pick up during his Jordan season

[KA]

Originally posted by Flaming_Wuzzle
Well this is an interesting dilemma..3 good drivers, only two spots, and one of the drivers needs race experience..

It's a dilemma I suspect a lot of team managers would be happy to have......

[Poddy]

Originally posted by Dixie Flatline
I think Honda wants a Japanese driver in its Formula One team. Sato fits the bill nicely, so while BAR wants to keep Honda engines, Sato will have an edge on the other competitors for his seat, Davidson included. Richards will be determined to hang onto Button after his current good season, so I think Davidson's future will be battling for a seat in a lower team with the likes of Ryan Briscoe for next season.

Might be a bit unfair to Sato, that - being Japanese obviously helps but Honda have been quite happy to have drivers like Ricardo Zonta and Olivier Panis (who both joined the team with solid reputations) in that second BAR, and Sato has impressed more than either of them so far I'd say.

Originally posted by Dixie Flatline
BTW, I think I've read elsewhere that BMW are over their desire to always have a German driver in their team. That's perhaps why Nick Heidfeld isn't being mentioned all that much (relative to other drivers vying for a seat at Williams) as a contender for Williams next season.

I think BMW just want a championship irrespective of where the person who wins it for them actually comes from.

It may have other benifits anyway. BMWs will always sell in Germany, whereas having someone like JV or Mark Webber would give them the chance to push their cars in other markets. And even if they're worried about car sales in Germany after that, they can always take a leaf out of mercedes' book and enter the DTM.

[cos]

Pitpass.com reports that Davidson might be meeting with Williams sometime next week - that might not lead to anything but it's a step in the right direction

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpa...s_art_id=21185

[f1manoz]

Haven't seen much of Davidson, therefore I cannot judge. But there is no doubting Sato has a tonne of speed...

[Testure]

There was an interview with Frank Williams in a recent F1 mag (F1 Racing?) and some driver's were discussed - Davidson included. The interviewer's interpretations of Frank's body language and his phrasing of his responses was quite interesting. He made it seem that 1) Scott Dixon was a no-go and 2) Anthony was very much being considered for a race seat next year. The first prediction looks to have come to pass, so I reckon Anthony Davidson is a fair bet to be racing for the team in 2005.

[Sato san]

I really hope so ...that would be brilliant if it happens !