Sato to test for Toro Rosso

Takuma Sato has been handed a Formula One lifeline after Toro Rosso confirmed they will run the Japanese driver at a multi-team test later this month.

Sato, who has contested 91 grands prix, has been without a drive since the Honda-backed Super Aguri team folded following this year’s Spanish Grand Prix after failing to secure financial backing to complete the season.

Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost confirmed Sato will test alongside Swiss GP2 driver Sebastien Buemi at the Jerez circuit in Spain on September 17 and 18.

Toro Rosso have been one of the revelations of the 2008 season, securing a number of points-scoring finishes and regularly qualifying inside the top 10 courtesy of some sterling drives by Sebastian Vettel.

The team have at least one vacancy for the 2009 season after Vettel was promoted to the sister Red Bull Racing team to replace the retiring David Coulthard.

The future of the team’s second driver, Sebastien Bourdais, is also far from certain, with the four-time ChampCar champion having been outclassed by Vettel this season.

“The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Sebastian Vettel, who is joining Red Bull Racing next year,” said Tost.

“The Jerez test, the last one of the season, will give us an opportunity to evaluate Buemi and Sato at the same time, as they are both possible candidates for a 2009 seat.

“Buemi is an obvious candidate, because not only is he already part of the Red Bull family, he is currently performing well in the GP2 series.

“As for Sato, he has proved worthy of a place in Formula One and would be a good fit with the Red Bull spirit, while his recent F1 experience would be undoubtedly valuable to our team.”

Sato, 31, is Japan’s most successful racing driver having scored 44 points and one podium in an F1 career that has also taken in stints at Jordan and BAR.

“I am delighted to be given this opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula One car, after my season was cut short following the Spanish Grand Prix,” Sato told www.scuderiatororosso.com.

“It will be especially interesting working with a team that has made so much progress over the course of the year.”

GP2 driver Bruno Senna, the nephew of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna, and Sato’s former Super Aguri team-mate Anthony Davidson have also been linked with Toro Rosso for 2009.