By Phil Huff (18/12/2003)
December 18 2003

Lucky Strike BAR Honda driver Takuma Sato said in Shanghai that the team is testing well and he was relishing the chance of tangling with world champion Michael Schumacher next season. "I think we look very, very strong as far as testing this winter," Sato said at press briefing.

Sato was BAR-Honda's test driver last season but took over from Jacques Villeneuve in the last race of the season in Suzuka after the former world champion was sacked, and finished a creditable sixth. While not the first time Sato had piloted an F1 race, Sato said the last minute call to race on home turf had been a milestone in his promising career. "I was very excited to join the BAR race program. It was such a fantastic moment," said Sato, who was in in China to strengthen relations with race organisers of the Shanghai Formula One Grand Prix - included on the calendar next year for the first time.

"Hopefully next year there will be something more for me," he added.

The 26-year-old rookie, who knocked the front wing off Schumacher's Ferrari on lap six in Suzuka, said he was not afraid of tangling with the maestro again.

"I hope I have the same chance to go head to head with Schumacher in 2004," he said.