Da Matta Surprised to be in the Top Ten

Brazilian Cristiano da Matta admitted he was surprised to be in the top ten ahead of tomorrow's Monaco Grand Prix at the tricky Monte Carlo circuit.

Da Matta, in his first Formula One race at the Mediterranean principality, posted the 10th fastest time of the session, outqualifying his most experienced teammate Olivier Panis, a former winner of the race, by almost a whole second on his way to tenth position.

"I didn't expect to be so high up on the grid, let alone getting my best qualifying result of the season," admitted da Matta. "During the lap, I already felt it was going to be a good one. We have made some improvements over the weekend, but there is still a problem with the grip level and we still have a big margin to improve.

"My driving at this track has been getting better and better and I am very pleased with my lap today. It will be a long and tough race, but our priority should be to complete the race, hopefully in a good position."

Panis, meanwhile, continued to be unhappy with his Toyota, complaining about the poor grip. The Frenchman finished a disappointing 17th fastest.

"I was really not happy with the car, so we decided to opt for a strategy that is more focussed towards our performance in the race, rather than in today's qualifying," he said. "With this in mind, I am pleased with my qualifying lap and we will wait to see how things turn out tomorrow."