Renault sign Yamamoto as test driver

[Giuseppe F1]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64970

Renault sign Yamamoto as test driver

By Pablo Elizalde Monday, February 4th 2008, 09:47 GMT

The Renault F1 team have signed Japanese Sakon Yamamoto as their test driver for the 2008 season, it was announced on Monday.

The 25-year-old, who has 14 Grand Prix starts to his name with the Super Aguri and Spyker teams, will conduct test development work for Renault, and will also play an important role in the F1 Roadshow programme.

"We are delighted to welcome Sakon to the team for 2008," said team boss Flavio Briatore. "We plan a particularly aggressive development programme for the coming year, and his F1 experience will be useful to us in this context.

"Furthermore, the ING Renault F1 Team is one of the most active in promoting Formula One around the world thanks to our unique Roadshow programme, and Sakon will boost our visibility in important markets. He will be an important asset for the team."

Yamamoto: "I am very excited to join the ING Renault F1 Team for the 2008 season. It is a great honour for me to be associated with a team that has won world championships.

"I will learn a fantastic amount, and I look forward to contributing in every way the team asks of me."

[SGWilko]

Strewth.

Well, I guess if the car is a dog this year no surprises as to who gets the blame........

Is this the same Sakon that did so badly in the Super Aguri......?

[cosmicpanda]

It was Ide that caused the incident at Imola. Yamamoto hardly distinguished himself, though.

The 25-year-old, who has 14 Grand Prix starts to his name with the Super Aguri and Spyker teams, will conduct test development work for Renault, and will also play an important role in the F1 Roadshow programme.

"We are delighted to welcome Sakon to the team for 2008," said team boss Flavio Briatore. "We plan a particularly aggressive development programme for the coming year, and his F1 experience will be useful to us in this context.

"Furthermore, the ING Renault F1 Team is one of the most active in promoting Formula One around the world thanks to our unique Roadshow programme, and Sakon will boost our visibility in important markets. He will be an important asset for the team."

In other words, he'll do the shake-down tests of the new chassis's and then do a lot of the demo work in last years car.

[SGWilko]

It was Ide that caused the incident at Imola. Yamamoto hardly distinguished himself, though.

Ah yes. Well, fair play to Sakon then, good for him.

Romain Grosjean is the main test driver.

[woody2goody]

Sakon didn't do too badly in the Super Aguri.

Brazil 2006 - he got the 7th fastest lap.

To say he had no experience of the car before he raced it he did well. Same with '07 at Spyker.

[Giuseppe F1]

In other words, he'll do the shake-down tests of the new chassis's and then do a lot of the demo work in last years car.

Well, it looks like new sponsor SANHO HUMAN SERVICE is the common link here for looking at the pic below of Sakon last year at Spyker, seems they were sponsoring him then too so am sure this is it.

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/f1/2008/gen/f1-2008-gen-tm-0464.jpg

http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/45781_2.jpg

Also, if SANHO HUMAN SERVICE wanted maximum publicity around this, and hence maximum publicity of their brand, why wasnt Sakon announced/presented with all the other Renault drivers/testers at the official launch recently where all the media was present?? Well... either this driver element of the deal came about very recently (which I doubt) or more likely, the deal involves relatively little money owing to the very small and ambiguos on-car branding (almost hidden away!), that any monies was likely offset with the Sakon part of the bargain as it were.

If you see the pic below, indeed Renault had their two testers (Grosjean/DiGrassi) on hand, as well as Ben Hanley from their RDD program (running GP2 this year as is Grosjean) - the fact Sakon wasnt even at the launch indeed makes me think that Tamburello's thought is very plausible.

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/f1/2008/gen/f1-2008-gen-tm-0391.jpg

Purely commercial and the fact they mentioned the Renault Roadshow so many times in the press release, well id imagine this willl form the bulk of Sakon's work in 2008 and that the bulk of development work in an era where testing is becoming ever more limited, will go to Alonso (and that magic 0.6secs!) and Piquet as he aims to acclimatise himself more to his new role.

[Nikki Katz]

Yeah, this is obviously sponsor related. Ok, aside from Alonso he's the only driver in the team to have actually started a race yet, but he's not performed too well at Super Aguri or particularly Spyker. It's not like di Grassi has a regular seat anywhere in 2008, I'm sure he could be a full time tester, with Grosjean being lined up for a possible seat whenever necessary.
I wonder how much time he'll actually spend in the car...

[Garry Walker]

It is embarrasing for a team like Renault to hire someone for money only.

[ShiftingGears]

It is embarrasing for a team like Renault to hire someone for money only.

Not doing them any harm.

[SGWilko]

It is embarrasing for a team like Renault to hire someone for money only.

Well, they were not the ones being embarrased winning the WDC twice in a row, on an average budget now, were they?

[jens]

May it create a speculation?

As there have been rumours about Renault's departure from F1 for some time, then maybe it hints that Nissan will replace them on the grid? After all, both car manufacturers are in alliance. Sure it looks unlikely now, but strange things have happened before. :)

Renault has several test drivers now (besides mentioned 3 also Parente?) - makes me wonder whether it's really worth hiring so many of them?

[woody2goody]

I reckon his experience, which equates to almost a full season of Grands Prix, could be useful for him to pass on to the younger drivers such as Grosjean and di Grassi, regardless of what people perceive as his lack of ability despite being in the worst car on the grid for the past two years.

All this without prior testing of the car.

[Garry Walker]

Not doing them any harm.

Well, the reason Renault hire Sakon was money. So yes, I think it is somewhat embarrassing for a top team to do such a thing.


Well, they were not the ones being embarrased winning the WDC twice in a row, on an average budget now, were they?

How is that RELEVANT to hiring sakon the champion?


May it create a speculation?

As there have been rumours about Renault's departure from F1 for some time, then maybe it hints that Nissan will replace them on the grid? After all, both car manufacturers are in alliance. Sure it looks unlikely now, but strange things have happened before. :)

Renault has several test drivers now (besides mentioned 3 also Parente?) - makes me wonder whether it's really worth hiring so many of them?

Sakon was brought in for one thing only - his mum leads one of Renaults sponsors and Renault were a few millions short on money. The only testing Sakon will do will be demonstration runs and possibly straight line testing.


I reckon his experience, which equates to almost a full season of Grands Prix, could be useful for him to pass on to the younger drivers such as Grosjean and di Grassi, regardless of what people perceive as his lack of ability despite being in the worst car on the grid for the past two years.

All this without prior testing of the car.

di Grassi and Grosjean especially are much better drivers than someone like Sakon, so what you said has nothing to do with it. If they want to learn from someone, there is Alonso.

[SGWilko]

How is that RELEVANT to hiring sakon the champion?

Erm, errr, ahhhh, errmm, perhaps, given that Renault are keen on keeping costs down, they hire a pay tester to that end.

It requires a little thought to work that out, but not too much. ;)

[Garry Walker]

Erm, errr, ahhhh, errmm, perhaps, given that Renault are keen on keeping costs down, they hire a pay tester to that end.


Exactly what I have been saying. It is just my opinion, that for such a top team, doing that is a bit embarrassing.

If Ferrari hired Ide, I would think that is embarrassing as well.

[ShiftingGears]

Well, the reason Renault hire Sakon was money. So yes, I think it is somewhat embarrassing for a top team to do such a thing.


It gives Renault someone to offload their demo runs and straight line tests on, so their drivers can focus on more important things. It's a win-win situation. Looks like a pretty smart deal to me!

[SGWilko]

Exactly what I have been saying. It is just my opinion, that for such a top team, doing that is a bit embarrassing.

If Ferrari hired Ide, I would think that is embarrassing as well.

Renault is (or certainly was) partly state owned. Ferrari are still relying on the bottomless pit that is fag money, so budgets are not an issue.

And anyway, aren't Ferrari 'special' so FOM chucks money at them anyway..

[woody2goody]

If Ferrari hired Ide, I would think that is embarrassing as well.

Yamamoto is much better than Ide.

When I mentioned the other drivers learning from him, there are probably useful things he can pass on to them that Alonso wouldn't necessarily have the time/want to help them with.

I never said he was better than grosjean or di grassi but for all i know he could be as i've seen di grassi race about twice and tbh never heard of grosjean before this year.

[jso1985]

even if they actually went for Yamamoto's money, having a test driver with F1 experience, will help a lot the other test drivers, as Alonso might/should be concentrated on winning races and not teaching newbies