Sato making progress

BAR's Takuma Sato is not under any pressure to match the performances of teammate Jenson Button just yet and is making progress, says his race engineer Jock Clear. Team boss David Richards recently commented that Sato was overdriving and needed to work on his performance but it wasn't an indication that the team has any doubts about the Japanese.

Takuma Sato.

Photo by LAT Photographic.

"It is going to be a process, and really we are aiming at half-season before he is fully up to Jenson's speed," Clear said of Takuma's learning curve, according to Autosport. "Then we'll see if he can match his team-mate's pace and consistency."

"Jenson is driving very well at the moment and that has effectively raised the bar for Taku. But he is making progress -- Bahrain was a big step forward from Sepang, and to get four points under his belt is a calming influence for him."

Button has scored points in each of the three races so far, including two podium finishes with third at Sepang and Bahrain. Sato finished ninth in Australia then suffered an engine failure in Malaysia that put him out of the race when running eighth, just three laps from the end. His first points of the season came in Bahrain, where he came home fifth.

"I'm happy to deliver a points-finish for the team because every point counts in the end," said Sato, who returned to racing in 2004 after spending a year as test driver for BAR. "Things are looking very encouraging for the rest of the season and I can't wait for Imola in three weeks' time."