Yamamoto joins Virgin as a reserve driver
Sakon Yamamoto will be the reserve driver for Virgin Racing for the first three races of the 2011 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Japanese driver, whose last Formula 1 race was last year with the Hispania team, is not expected to drive unless he replaces one of the official drivers in Australia, Malaysia, and China.
« I am happy to work with Virgin Racing in Australia, » said Yamamoto. « I really appreciate that they are giving me a chance to be close to an F1 circuit. The team has made a great step forward this year, and I believe I can contribute to the development of the car thanks to my experience. »
« Everyone is aware that Japan is going through very difficult times, so my situation is good news. I hope my fellow citizens will see my new role as a positive source of information. I am committed to doing everything I can to help them. »
The team boss John Booth added: « We are delighted to welcome Sakon Yamamoto to Virgin Racing as a reserve driver for the first three race weekends. Sakon will spend the weekend observing the race drivers and assisting them in all technical meetings. Additionally, he will be on standby to replace a driver at the last minute if needed. »
« In line with our commitment to promoting young talents, our reserve driver strategy is to help a number of them spend time on the track. We will therefore involve several drivers who interest us throughout the season. »
