Peter Windsor: Replacing Takuma is insane

By Phil Huff
October 6 2005

Former Williams team manager, Peter Windsor, has backed BAR Honda's Takuma Sato, describing the teams dropping of the driver as insane.

"Taku is without doubt the best Japanese driver ever to race in F1," explains Windsor to ITV-F1.com. "Given Japan's stature in the sport, I think it is insane that a company like Honda replaced him with Rubens Barrichello. Sure, Rubens is a classier driver – but even Rubens will only be as good as his car."

Takuma has managed to score just one point this season, against a backdrop of unfortunate luck and avoidable mistakes, while team-mate Jenson Button has gone on to score 30. Peter Windsor, now F1 Racing's Grand Prix editor, doesn't see that as a reason to drop the Japanese driver.

"Taku has proved that he can finish on the podium in a good car, so what was the fuss all about?" asked Windsor. "If their car is a dog, what does it matter? Rubens may score 20 more points than Taku in a bad car but that is no reason – I think – for casting Taku aside.

"F1 needs a Japanese driver on the grid, so I just hope that Honda decide to run some sort of B-team or that Taku is given a chance with Toyota.

"He deserves it."