Yamamoto joins Virgin as reserve driver
2011 F1 season
Sakon Yamamoto
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.”
2011 F1 season
- New video of Maldonado and Hamilton’s Monaco crash
- How well do you remember the 2011 F1 season? Take the F1 Fanatic quiz
- The 2011 F1 season: The complete F1 Fanatic review
- Your 2011 F1 predictions revisited
- Barrichello tipped to stay at Williams
- 2011 F1 statistics part 3: Stats and facts highlights
- 2011 F1 statistics part two: Vettel’s domination
- 2011 F1 statistics part one: car performance
- New 2011 rules produced best racing of last four years
- What F1 Fanatics really thought of the 2011 season
Browse all 2011 F1 season articles
TFLB said on 23rd March 2011, 6:55
Will he drive in any practice sessions?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 23rd March 2011, 6:59
They haven’t said yet.
Dev said on 23rd March 2011, 7:52
i like the pic chosen, it looks like he is sneaking!!
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 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) said on 23rd March 2011, 6:56
I did not see this coming.
BasCB (@bascb) said on 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) said on 23rd March 2011, 7:17
Your sarcasm is noted.
unoc said on 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 said on 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 (@) said on 23rd March 2011, 7:12
You can tell Virgin Racing is on a budget
BasCB (@bascb) said on 23rd March 2011, 7:36
And it just got topped up by 10% ;-)
Dev said on 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 said on 23rd March 2011, 7:38
someone might get food poisoning over virgin racing
GeeMac (@geemac) said on 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) said on 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) said on 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 said on 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) said on 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) said on 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 (@klon) said on 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 said on 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) said on 23rd March 2011, 9:11
Maybe they’ll get a message on the car now as well?
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 23rd March 2011, 19:11
Well said.
Robert McKay said on 23rd March 2011, 9:19
KA-CHING!
Eggry (@eggry) said on 23rd March 2011, 9:27
Cashcow
Viper-7 said on 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 said on 23rd March 2011, 11:57
Money bags yamamoto!!
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 23rd March 2011, 19:13
Or as Hobbs on SPEED nicknamed him last year, Sacks’o’ Money-oto.
Vico said on 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) said on 23rd March 2011, 13:16
I doubt that’s the case. Look what Renault let Petrov get away with last year..
craig-o (@craig-o) said on 23rd March 2011, 12:20
Can we get rid of this guy? Please??????