British Formula Three champion Takuma Sato of Japan will join the Jordan-Honda Formula One team next season, a Honda official said today.
"Sato will hold a news conference on Wednesday and he will talk about his future plan," the official said. News agencies have reported a deal had been sealed between the 24-year-old driver and the F1 team.
Asked if Sato will announce his contract with Jordan-Honda, the official said: "You may well expect him to do so".
Sato, who became the first Japanese driver to win the British F3 title when recording his 12th victory of the season at Silverstone last month, has also been a test driver this season for the F1 BAR (British American Racing)-Honda team.
He will drive alongside Giancarlo Fisichella for Jordan-Honda, ending French veteran Jean Alesi's career with the team.
It was not clear if Sato would compete at this weekend's season-ending Japanese Grand Prix at the Honda-owned Suzuka track.
Sato drove a Honda-powered BAR F1 machine on Monday with Canadian Jacques Villenueve in a promotional event for the Japanese car-maker.
"I still have a contract with BAR and I can't talk about that now," Sato told reporters at that time about his possible graduation to F1. "It's a matter of wait and see," he said.
AFP