No Sato for Lotus; Kovi may get seat

Takuma Sato’s managers announced today that the Japanese driver is out of the running for a seat at Lotus, Reuters is reporting.

Reuters? Is it me or is that kind of a weird place to go with this news?

In perhaps the big piece of news, however, the man who no one dare mention during this Silly Season, aka Heikki Kovalainen, is likely to land at Lotus along with Jarno Trulli, the report continues. The team is set to announce the line-up Monday, and its leaders — including my new favorite (MNF) team boss Tony Fernandes — have got to be hoping they don’t get trumped by any Michael Schumacher news.

Here’s a bit more:

“We know Taku has not got Lotus — we found out yesterday,” his commercial manager Matthew Winter told Reuters. “He has now come off the list.”

[snip]

Sato, who ranks as Japan’s most successful Formula One racer, had been mentioned among those on a shortlist along with Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy who is expected to be test and reserve driver.

Winter said former Jordan and Honda driver Sato, whose last F1 race was with now-defunct Super Aguri last year, was disappointed but had not completely given up hope of a return.

“We don’t know what the criteria was (for Lotus),” he explained. “We thought he was a very strong contender, you don’t get more Asian than Taku.

“We haven’t given up. There are still a few seats open and we are trying to hunt them down,” he added. “His options are running out so we don’t know if he is going to be in Formula One next year.”

Sato is probably desperate to get back in the sport before Kamui Kobayashi passes him as Japan’s most successful F1 driver. Which would be after the first race of 2010, right?

The Reuters story adds in a few other names to open seats, a few of which we’ve heard — Lucas di Grassi to Virgin — but also some others:

Jaime Alguersuari… has yet to be confirmed by the team for 2010, although he is expected to be.

Renault have yet to name a second driver, with the future ownership of the team still to be decided, while late entries Sauber and newcomers US F1 both have two seats to fill.

Manor GP, who will become Virgin Racing next year, are expected to complete their line-up on Tuesday with Brazilian Lucas di Grassi joining Germany’s Timo Glock.

Spanish-based newcomers Campos Meta have Brazilian Bruno Senna signed up and have been linked with well-funded Russian Vitaly Petrov and Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.

If Campos takes on Petrov, the team just might end up the richest in the sport when combining his sponsor money with Senna’s. I hoep the team gives its merchandise away for free in that case.