BBC Confirm Da Matta to drive for Toyota

Driver 2?
By Sophie Mason
November 4 2002

In a situation very similar to the one faced by Jaguar last week, the news about Toyota's driver line up for next year has been leaked before the official announcement.

On Friday the BBC announced on it's web site the news that Cristiano da Matta would join the team, with many other sources picking up the news over the weekend. Although Toyota have yet to confirm this report, neither they nor Da Matta have denied it.

Toyota announced back in August that neither Mika Salo or Allan McNish would be driving for the team in 2003. Olivier Panis was confirmed as moving to Toyota from BAR at the same time. Despite this, there has been no word on the second driver although rumours have abounded for the last few months.

Cristiano Da Matta is no stranger to Toyota as he currently drivers for the Newman-Haas CART team to whom Toyota supply engines. However, this news has been a long time coming. The delay appears to have come from Da Matta himself as he said last week that he had been offered the Toyota drive but had not made his mind up yet.

Current F1 drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Pablo Montoya also originated from CART however, this doesn't guarantee the same level of success for Da Matta as I'm sure Alex Zanardi can testify.