Franchitti backs da Matta to star in F1

Speaking at the AUTOSPORT International show in Birmingham, Franchitti said da Matta has got what it takes to take F1 by storm, but needs the right machinery to shine.

"Cristiano did a fantastic job this year to win the CART Champ Car series and I think he is going to do well in F1," said Franchitti. "I think it will be difficult for him because, knowing Cristiano's style quite well, he likes a car with a bit of understeer and from what I understand the Toyota is quite notorious for its oversteer. But if they can that sorted out and get the car to his liking. I think he is incredibly talented he just needs the right opportunity."

Franchitti has already tested the 2003 Dallara-Honda he will use this year, and skipped this week's test in Homestead as a result.

"I wasn't supposed to drive the car," he said of the shakedown before Christmas. "I got a phone call when I had just got back to Scotland saying 'you need to come back, you need to test'. Michael couldn't do it because it was the Christmas party or something. He is the new boss now and he decided that I was going to do the initial test."

He admits that the new Dallara is a radical departure from its previous IRL chassis.

"The car is a very strange looking device," he said. "They have really cut the frontal area down. I ran two days around Phoenix on the one-mile oval. That was a new experience. I am used to driving with the CART car on ovals which hasn't got a lot of downforce and the car is sliding around a lot. You get into the IRL car and it has a lot of downforce. You from a couple of G in the corner to close on 5G. It certainly took some hanging on to. The main thing was that I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to it."