Toyota Drivers Unconcerned by 2005 Rumours

Toyota drivers Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta are refusing to be upset by speculation over their future at the Germany-based team and said on Thursday that they are still hopeful or earning new deals for 2005.

Both drivers come to the end of their current contracts at the end of this season and the currently injured German Ralf Schumacher has been hotly tipped to join from Williams-BMW as one driver of an all-new line-up.

But Panis, who is now in his 10th season of Formula One and joined up with da Matta for Toyota's second season in Formula One in 2003, said: "For me I'm so motivated and determined.

"I'm working really hard with the team, both of us have been working really hard with the team for two years. Now I want to profit from the result (at Indianapolis). I am continuing to push really hard and preparing for next year."

Da Matta arrived in Formula One as the reigning champion in the United States-based CART Championship but he has failed to make the same kind of impression during his time in Grand Prix racing.

The Brazilian's best result came in this year's Monaco Grand Prix when he finished sixth, adding to two other sixth-place results in Germany and Spain in his debut season last year.

But the Schumacher rumours do not bother him and he said: "It's the type of thing that you cannot do anything about. Sometimes (the rumours) make no sense and some of the other ones we know make some sense.

"But obviously we cannot get too worried about it because at the end of the day it's not our decision, all we can do is do our best, drive the car, focus and keep on trying to do the best job we can. If you want to stay with the team, this is how we are going to do it, not being worried about rumours. We just have to focus on the work."

Toyota, who are believed to have the second biggest budget on the grid behind World Champions Ferrari, are currently seventh in the Constructors' Championship with just eight points from the opening nine races. Panis has five and da Matta three.