Sakon Yamamoto has joined Virgin as the team’s reserve driver for the first three races of 2011.
The Japanese driver started seven races for HRT last year.
Yamamoto said: ??I am pleased to work with Marussia Virgin Racing in Australia.
“I really appreciate them giving me a chance to be here. The team has made a big step forward this year and I believe that I can contribute to their car development through my experience.
“As everyone is aware it is a very difficult time in Japan right now and any good news is much welcomed. I hope the people back home will feel positive about my latest F1 role as I would like to do everything possible to help them.”
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TFLB
23rd March 2011, 6:55
Will he drive in any practice sessions?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
23rd March 2011, 6:59
They haven’t said yet.
Dev
23rd March 2011, 7:52
i like the pic chosen, it looks like he is sneaking!!
David-A (@david-a)
23rd March 2011, 12:59
They haven’t really signed him, he’s just going to creep into the garage before practice, jump in the car and drive off before anyone notices.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd March 2011, 6:56
I did not see this coming.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd March 2011, 7:07
Who did?
As I wrote in the roundup about this. This will really help the team get forward. A major signing to keep this mega star in F1!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd March 2011, 7:17
Your sarcasm is noted.
unoc
23rd March 2011, 13:32
He isn’t the only one… they are tlaking abut fostering and helping young talent in the Autosport article while he is 28 and has no talent for F1.
The AS article also menitoned he was their for only several races. Maybe it is on a money/race setup
Andy C
23rd March 2011, 15:21
Yes, I had the clean the coffee I spat all over my keyboard after reading the line on young drivers.
Much in the same way my 80 yr old gran is middle aged.
SVettel (@)
23rd March 2011, 7:12
You can tell Virgin Racing is on a budget
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd March 2011, 7:36
And it just got topped up by 10% ;-)
Dev
23rd March 2011, 7:21
i bet sakon will replace someone this season too!! thanks to him HRT survived the full season last year!!
silencer
23rd March 2011, 7:38
someone might get food poisoning over virgin racing
GeeMac (@geemac)
23rd March 2011, 7:46
Ah Sakon, you give us all such hope. If I ever find a pot of gold I’m going straight to HRT or Virgin and asking for a drive…
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
23rd March 2011, 7:48
I don’t mean to sound condescending… but I doubt one of the worst Japanese drivers, signing for one of the worst teams on the grid, and not even racing, is going to be welcomed as “positive” news for the people of Japan.
Anyway… I didn’t see this coming and I think it’s a bit silly from Virgin, they obviously want a bit more cash…
CarsVsChildren (@carsvschildren)
24th March 2011, 0:32
As an F1 Fanatic, living in Japan, I can promise you the Japanese people don’t care one little bit.
5th biggest earthquake of all time, biggest tsunami in Japanese history, nuclear reactor problems, food shortages, and Sakon Yamamoto buys himself a F1 drive.
Actually its more likely to annoy people than anything else.
Meander
23rd March 2011, 8:44
How does this guy keep getting deals? Not that this is such a good one, but I mean even his sponsors must realize by now that he’s not going to be the next world champion.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
23rd March 2011, 9:12
No, but he does offer them one thing that others don’t: he can get their name an image into the sport.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd March 2011, 9:14
And he seems to have a lot of talent for it.
That is, for getting his backers to bring in money to support a team he is connected with.
Klon (@)
23rd March 2011, 13:24
The thing is, however, he’s never going to run out of sponsorship money no matter how much talent he lacks. Most of his sponsorship comes from his family.
ajokay
23rd March 2011, 9:00
I don’t understand why drivers waste their breath (and press officers waste their time and fingers typing) on this kind of thing any more. I’m sure we can all just take it for read that every driver:
– is happy to be with a new team
– thanks them for the opportunity
– believes they have made a big step forward
– admits there is more work to do, but
– will bring their knowledge and experience (and money) to help out all they can
regardless of:
– history with other teams
– the amount of time they’ll actually spend in the car
– whether the car is actally any good or not
– where they’ll be in the future
Well done Sakon, you’ve just paid Virgin Racing x-million dollars to stand in a garage for 3 races wearing a hat and pair of earphones that say ‘Virgin’ on them. And I’m sure, like you say, the people of Japan will find this comforting whilst they’re dodging radiation, etc.
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd March 2011, 9:11
Maybe they’ll get a message on the car now as well?
US_Peter (@us_peter)
23rd March 2011, 19:11
Well said.
Robert McKay
23rd March 2011, 9:19
KA-CHING!
Eggry (@eggry)
23rd March 2011, 9:27
Cashcow
Viper-7
23rd March 2011, 9:28
I think that Yamamoto was critcal in HRTs survival last year.
Put it this way Virgin are not going to fight for the championship. They are not really going to have a massive effect on the championship.
They are at the bottom end of the pitlane. So if they need money to survive. Then so be it they are doing themselves a favour. So I do not understand why people are so angry. End Of.
Gavin Campbell
23rd March 2011, 11:57
Money bags yamamoto!!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
23rd March 2011, 19:13
Or as Hobbs on SPEED nicknamed him last year, Sacks’o’ Money-oto.
Vico
23rd March 2011, 12:12
I hope this doesn’t mean that d’Ambrosio is going to get replaced after a few races only…
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd March 2011, 13:16
I doubt that’s the case. Look what Renault let Petrov get away with last year..
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
23rd March 2011, 12:20
Can we get rid of this guy? Please??????
Mads (@mads)
23rd March 2011, 12:54
I really think this is what Japan needs to help their country get back into shape.
Yamamoto in a reserve driver role in Virgin Racing. How exciting is that? I am really look forward to look at him hanging around in the garage in some Virgin branded clothes.
Seriously though if he really wants to do anything he can to help the people in Japan why not stop paying F1 teams to let you hang out in their motor home and get back and spend some of the money to help people instead.
Toro Stevo
23rd March 2011, 13:08
If I lend Yamamoto my old rust bucket, can he drive it around on Fridays and give me the million dollars instead? I’ll even fill it up with petrol first.
Jim
23rd March 2011, 13:16
To a degree i can see the sense in Virgin doing this. They’ve taken on a driver with experiance of driving a ‘current’ F1 car as cover for an existing driver.
If the Bahrain race had take place Timo wouldn’t have been available leaving them with just d’Ambrosio who hasn’t raced. I can’t think of many other alternatives to Yamamoto, may be Grosjean or de la Rosa?
brendan
23rd March 2011, 16:51
klien
Dutch_Alex
23rd March 2011, 13:20
Maybe we should read it like this: By signing Yamamoto we keep his money away from HRT. And if HRT goes bankrupt we get more television money.
The Last Pope
23rd March 2011, 14:41
Now I’m expecting an anouncement from HRT that they have signed Yuji Ide as reserve driver.
RandomChimp (@randomchimp)
23rd March 2011, 16:01
Inspiringly cynical. Thumbs up to this post.
AlonsoWDC
23rd March 2011, 13:30
Say what you will about Yamamoto, but his efforts in the HRT last season weren’t all that terribly off the pace of Senna. And he didn’t write it off.
Sound_Of_Madness
23rd March 2011, 13:36
If he somehow gets a pay-driving role through the season, he ll have competed in 4 seasons starting none! Is it a record?
The Last Pope
23rd March 2011, 14:35
lol probably.
robk23 (@robk23)
23rd March 2011, 14:51
Hopefully this will keep him away from an HRT car this season.
Andy C
23rd March 2011, 15:26
I agree with some of the comments on Sakon.
So what if he’s paying for the pleasure of being reserve driver.
Until worldwide sponsors spend increases again, and the worldwide recession recedes, I dont have any problem with the smaller teams bring in funds.
Does anyone recall who his personal sponsor is? did he take someone to HRT last year.
slr
23rd March 2011, 16:28
I’m happy for him and Virgin. Wouldn’t be that surprised if got to do a few races.
Kevin
23rd March 2011, 17:07
Next Sakon will be telling us about his dream to become World Champion lol
US_Peter (@us_peter)
23rd March 2011, 19:15
Glock needs to get himself off that sinking ship instead of wasting the prime of his career…
James Williams
24th March 2011, 1:31
Hopeless driver. He has never been any good.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
24th March 2011, 1:33
If the Rookie driver d’ Ambrosio isn’t racing well then he may be the replacement for him.But honestly I am surprise.
Marcus
23rd April 2011, 6:48
lets look at some facts here
2010 HRT qualifying
Bri – +0.392 to Chandhok
Ger – +1.252 to Senna
Hun – +0.062 to Senna
Bel – +0.329 to Senna
Ita – +0.173 to Senna
Jap – +0.095 to Senna
Kor – -0.839 to Senna
I mean…..seriously – that’s really not that bad, he is by no means the worst Gp driver ever! Infact those stats are pretty good – I’d claim em!!