By Phil Huff
August 19 2005

Takuma Sato still has a chance to remain at BAR Honda in 2006, although what capacity his role would take is currently unclear, with Nick Fry not ruling out a return to a third driver role. Takuma has suffered a dreadful season this year, scoring his first and only point at the Hungarian Grand Prix three weeks ago, compared to Jenson Button's 19 points to date. BAR Honda's three race ban, as well as the Indianapolis saga, have destabilised Takuma, but he's finally getting it all together again.

If Takuma can impress over the rest of the season, then there's a reasonable chance he could remain with the team, but Nick Fry isn't hiding from the fact that they want newly-signed Rubens Barrichello to partner Jenson.

"The situation is very simple in lots of ways," explained BAR Honda team boss Nick Fry. "If Jenson stays there won't be a race seat for Takuma, you don't need to be a mathematician to work that out.

"Whether Taku stays with the team after that we will see, I think it is as much Takuma's decision as ours whether he would want to stay as a third driver.

"If Jenson goes then there are no guarantees," continues Fry. "We have got to have two drivers who can perform at a set level and Takuma has from now to the end of the season to demonstrate that he can do that.

"We hope he can, because he is an excellent team member and as a person we like him a lot, but this is a business and a high level sport and if he can't prove that to us then we will obviously have to consider other alternatives."

Jenson is currently embroiled in a dispute with Williams, with whom he's signed a seemingly watertight contract to drive for them in 2006. With Williams losing their BMW engine supply, and Honda purchasing a 45% stake in BAR, Jenson has decided to remain at his current home, but Williams are vowing to fight him all the way.

As a safeguard against losing Button, BAR Honda have contacted a number of drivers, and are believed to have signed a pre-contract with Williams' Nick Heidfeld. Along with Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson, the team has an overwhelming choice of talent to choose from.

"We have talked to more drivers than I can remember," add Fry. "Clearly Anthony is in with a good chance and yes, we have talked to Nick and other drivers, but at the moment our complete focus is on getting Jenson and helping him as much as we can with that.

"If that doesn't happen then we are not short of alternatives but they are alternatives that we don't want to consider because we want Jenson."