New Japanese Formula One team Super Aguri on Wednesday announced it has signed former BAR Honda driver Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide for 2006.
Sato, who left BAR Honda (now Honda Racing F1) at the end of last season, was widely tipped to become the No.1 driver at Super Aguri after motor racing's world governing body FIA last month confirmed the Honda-backed team as a new entrant for the coming season.
"I am delighted to have signed two drivers with such great experience," said team boss and former F1 driver Aguri Suzuki.
"F1 driving is by no means easy but I believe that a joint effort from these drivers will yield good results," added Suzuki.
Sato said he was looking forward to working with Suzuki, who started 88 Grand Prix and was the first Japanese to stand on the Formula One podium in Suzuka in 1990.
"Aguri-san has had some excellent results in motor sports and I am really looking forward to working with him," said Sato. "It will be an extremely tough year but I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead."
The 29-year-old Sato, the only other Japanese driver to make the F1 podium at the 2004 U.S. Grand Prix, drove his last race for BAR Honda at the season-ending Chinese Grand Prix in October.
Ide, 31, a Formula Nippon driver last season, said, "Last year I drove an F1 machine for the first time and it was extremely exciting. I am grateful to Suzuki-san for giving me this opportunity."
Super Aguri, the 11th team finalized ahead of the season-opening race in Bahrain on March 12, is based in Tokyo but has taken over the old Arrows factory in central England.
It is the first new Japanese team since car giant Toyota in 2002.