Da Matta Urges Toyota to Decide on his Future Soon

Brazilian Cristiano da Matta has urged Toyota to make their minds up about his Formula One future sooner rather than later.

The Germany-based team last Wednesday confirmed Ralf Schumacher was joining them from Williams on a three-year deal, leaving a question mark over the fate of Da Matta and his French teammate Olivier Panis.

Toyota technical director Mike Gascoyne said at the British Grand Prix, however, he did not think any decision would be made on the second driver until the end of the season.

Da Matta, the 2002 CART champion in the United States before entering Formula One last year, hoped that would not be the case.

"I hope the announcement for the second driver comes much earlier," he told Reuters. "Whatever happens, if I am the one that is going to stay, it would be much nicer to know this earlier. If I am not staying, it will be much nicer to know earlier too because then I can do some other things.

"I don't have any other offers and any other place and also it is not my plan to go anywhere else for next season. It's my second season here."

Asked how soon he would like to know, he added: "Tomorrow, this afternoon, as soon as possible. The sooner the better."

The 30-year-old is 14th in the Drivers' Championship with three points, while Panis is 13th with five, but the Brazilian said the car had not allowed either to shine.

"The first season was okay, I had a decent car and everything," the Brazilian said. "[But this year] you cannot judge anything considering the car we have on our hands this year. So I am looking forward to getting a third season to try, at least for myself, to prove that I can do it.

"Right now this season for me is a question mark, our performance is so much lower than what I expected it to be. I need another season to try to take away the question marks.

"All we can do is go on the track, push as hard as we can, do the best job we can and help the team as much as we can as far as development goes. Apart from that, we have to hope they think it's enough."