By Phil Huff
October 9 2005

BAR Honda's Takuma Sato has been excluded from the results of today's Japanese Grand Prix following his collision with Jarno Trulli. After a poor start, where Takuma ran wide into the first turn and was then tapped by BAR-bound Rubens Barrichello, the Japanese driver set about recovering, coming up behind Jarno Trulli at the chicane on lap nine. A somewhat optimistic move to the inside saw Sato's car slide heavily into the side of Trulli's, putting the Italian out of the race on the spot.

Having being called to the stewards of the meeting to explain the incident, the FIA have announced that Sato will lose his 13th place finish, meaning he'll now be first out in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix next week.

The FIA statement reads: "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."