IZOD IndyCar Series Spring Training – Sebring International Racing, Sebring, Florida
TESTING NOTES/QUOTES – Friday, March 9, 2012
TAKUMA SATO SET THE FOURTH FASTEST TIME OF HONDA-POWERED DRIVERS AT THE INDYCAR SERIES OPEN TEST AT SEBRING; RANKED 10TH OVER FOUR DAY TEST
FASTEST: Scott Dixon 51.7932 (set in Session 5) 144 laps
10th: Takuma Sato 52:3841 (set in Session 7) 203 laps
Takuma Sato, No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “It was another good day. The wind stayed calm and the track condition was quite consistent so we were able to evaluate various setups and collected good data. It was limited what you could do with one car, but we achieved a good number of laps and the test went very smoothly so it was productive. I think we were getting to understand this car well over the course of these pre-season tests and Sebring, where it's kind of a street-like track, gave us certainly good preparation for St. Pete. I enjoyed working with everyone at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The boys did a good job so I am really looking forward to going to our first race in two weeks time.”
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FAST FACTS: Was his third test with RLL at Sebring. Tested for one day in mid-December with RLL in the Honda test car. Returned here on February 23-24 and set the fastest and second fastest lap time (respectively)…Will be Sato’s first season at RLL and third in IndyCar after having competed with KV Racing Technology in 2010-11…In 34 starts in 2010-2011, has 17 career top-10 starting spots including four top-five starts and two poles (Edmonton and Iowa 2011). He has earned eight top-10 finishes including three top-five spots (fourth at Mid-Ohio, fifth at Texas and St. Petersburg in 2011). He has led a total of 61 laps.
NEXT UP: The team will return to Indianapolis and prepare for the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg which will be take place March 25 and will be televised live on ABC at 12:30 PM ET.