Sato eyes F1 comeback

Japan's Takuma Sato could be in line for a return to Formula One next year after the Toro Rosso team said they would give him a test later this month.

Italy-based Toro Rosso need to replace Germany's Sebastian Vettel, who is moving to the main Red Bull team, and could have two vacancies if they decide not to retain French driver Sebastien Bourdais.

The Ferrari-powered team said in a statement that they would also test 19-year-old Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi at the southern Spanish Jerez circuit in the last test session of the season.

Sato, who has been out of Formula One since his Super Aguri team folded in May, will test on Sept. 18 with Buemi in action the day before. Buemi is currently competing in the GP2 feeder series and is Red Bull Racing's F1 test and reserve driver.

"The time has come to try and find a suitable replacement for Vettel," team principal Franz Tost said.

"The Jerez test... will give us an opportunity to evaluate Buemi and Sato at the same time, as they are both possible candidates for a 2009 seat."

Gerhard Berger, co-owner along with the Red Bull energy drink billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, said last week that the ideal situation for his team would be to pair a young driver with an experienced one.

The Austrian has also warned Bourdais, the four times Champ Car champion who made his F1 debut this year, that he still had to prove his talent in the second half of the season.

Sato, Japan's most successful and popular Formula One driver, has more than six seasons of experience in the sport with Jordan, BAR and Honda-backed Super Aguri.

"He has proved worthy of a place in Formula One and would be a good fit with the Red Bull spirit, while his recent F1 experience would be undoubtedly valuable to our team," said Tost, who also described Buemi as an obvious candidate.

The 31-year-old Sato said he was itching to get back behind the wheel.

"It will be especially interesting working with a team that has made so much progress over the course of the year," he added.

Toro Rosso are ninth overall but, following Vettel's sixth place in Valencia last month, only three points adrift of Honda.

The team have also been linked to Brazilian Bruno Senna, whose late uncle Ayrton was a triple world champion and team-mate of Berger at McLaren.

Senna is second in the GP2 standings but said last week that he had nothing lined up so far.