09/10/2005
NEWS STORY
The FIA has announced that race stewards at Suzuka have chosen to exclude BAR's Takuma Sato from the results of today's Japanese Grand Prix.
Having been involved in a first lap incident with Rubens Barrichello, the Japanese driver later ran into the back of Jarno Trulli, eliminating the Toyota driver on the spot. The Italian driver subsequently accused Sato of being "very dangerous" and called on the FIA to take action.
In a subsequent statement the FIA said:
"The Stewards viewed the video of the incident and presented the same to Takuma Sato and his Team Manager Ron Meadows and independently to Jarno Trulli and his team manager Richard Cregan.
"Having heard both parties the stewards independently conclude that Takuma Sato was involved in an incident 'forcing the driver of car number 16 off the track' and therefore reprimand Sato and order that he be excluded from the results."
Sato had finished 13th on the road.