Takuma tests for Jordan last year

His first option is to play it safe and extend Jean Alesi�s contract for another year. He can take the biggest gamble of all and offer either of the recent testers, Narain Karthikeyan or Justin Wilson, a drive. Or he can play the political game and sign Honda�s favourite, Takuma Sato, and thereby helping to ensure Honda power for the next few years.

Jordan�s main sponsor, Benson and Hedges, are known to want to see a British driver in the seat, and certainly Justin Wilson did his chances no harm at all in his recent Silverstone test. But despite this, it is felt in the paddock that he will plump for either Alesi or Sato.

Eddie has stated that he now has to build his team for the long term, and look farther ahead than just 2002. This, he says, is why he has signed Fisichella for 3 years, rather than Trulli for just the 1 year on offer. Could this mean he is looking at younger talent on a long term contract, rather than Alesi for a 1 year extension?

There are problems with Sato, however. Eddie was recently quoted as saying he would not take the Japanese driver because he could not have him for more than one season - suggesting he has a long-term contract with BAR. Eddie has recently been burnt by signing drivers on short term deals while they have a longer contract with another team � Giancarlo Fisichella first time around and Jarno Trulli this year being 2 cases in point.

Sato's manager and former Jordan test driver Andrew Gilbert-Scott does not believe a deal with Jordan is impossible however. It is thought that Honda could, if required, put sufficient pressure on BAR to get him out of an existing test contract and into a race seat. "We're certainly pushing like mad for that, there's absolutely no denial there," said Gilbert-Scott.

Sato is currently tied to a testing deal with BAR. In most test driver contracts there is a clear clause stating that, should the driver receive an offer for a race seat, he can take it up. There may be a buy-out clause, and Gilbert-Scott suggested this is indeed the case after BAR team boss Craig Pollock said it would be expensive to buy him out of his current deal. If Pollock is taking figures, it would at least seem to be possible.

The importance to the Irish team of having Sato on board cannot be underestimated. Both Jordan and BAR are keen to curry favour with Honda as most feel that the current situation, with Honda supplying two works teams, cannot continue. In 2003 it is almost certain that the Japanese car giant will concentrate on just one team.

Honda has supported the 23-year-old throughout his racing career and wants a domestic driver to ensure it receives the lion's share of the headlines in its home country. This has taken on added significance since Toyota announced it would enter Formula One next season as a works entity.

If Sato is signed, the obvious time to announce the decision would be at the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, ensuring that Jordan dominates the coverage of the last race of the season.
It is thought likely that Eddie will then offer a test drive contract to Justin Wilson, with the option of a race seat in 2003 if Sato does not come up to expectation.

So, the evidence would suggest Sato will get the seat.
Only time will tell, however!