Sato, hero of Suzuka

Takuma Sato finished sixth and Jenson Button fourth at Suzuka, the venue for the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix. For BAR-Honda, it was an excellent overall result after a difficult season. In his only race of the season, the Japanese rider did more than hold his own and scored valuable points in front of his home crowd.

Jacques Villeneuve withdrew from the Grand Prix and asked his BAR team to release him from his contract. He was replaced by the team’s test driver, Takuma Sato, who in the meantime had been confirmed as a full-time driver alongside Jenson Button for the 2004 season.

Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) finished the race in eighth position, after a collision with… Takuma Sato, which was enough for him to clinch his sixth world championship title, and to surpass the record of Juan Manuel Fangio, established in 1957. The race was won from pole position by Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari).