Planet-F1

Another Toro Rosso test for Sato

Thursday 4th December 2008

Takuma Sato's dreams of returning to Formula One next season are still alive after securing another test drive with Toro Rosso.

Sato, along with Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastien Buemi, tested with Toro Rosso in late November. He impressed during his only two days behind the wheel, topping the timesheets on the Monday and finishing second behind Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel the following day.

The 29-year-old, who has been without a race seat since April when his Super Aguri team folded, will be back in a Toro Rosso car when testing resumes in Jerez next week.

"We obviously see this as a positive step but still nothing is decided for the 2009 racing season," Sato's commercial manager Matthew Winter said in a statement.

Sato and Bourdais are probably vying for the same spot at STR after Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz confirmed last week that Buemi is odds on favourite to land one of the vacant seats.

"One will very likely be Buemi. The line-up will be confirmed before the last test in December," Mateschitz said.