Q & A with Cristiano da Matta

Q: Cristiano, now that you have had a chance to drive the new car, what do you think are the main differences between the cars in Formula One and CART?

Cristiano da Matta: "I think it is different, but in the same way European people don't know a lot about CART the American people don't know a lot about Formula One - there is a lack of information, I think. I always read about how fit the Formula One drivers are, and the first time I drove the car I heard it is very physical - I think this is not so physical (laughs). The cars are very fast, and they race on different tracks, and the level of drivers is very tough too. It is this way in the United States too, but no one talks about it, no one sees it. So far it is no more difficult - so far it is the same. So far it is just a race car - it goes very fast, but it is just a race car."

Q: And out of the car?

Da Matta: "My time here so far has been very good, but of course the atmosphere between the drivers over there is amazing. Of every series I have driven in, the best atmosphere I had was in CART, even compared to Formula Ford or karts. In CART I have drivers I can call friends. In CART they have a really nice atmosphere, which is something I am going to miss. In Formula One everyone I have met so far is 100% good, but I am new and I don't know everybody, and in CART I did. Also here there is a lot more media, so you cannot spend as much time with the media as you can there, otherwise you spend all your time with the media and none in the car, which of course is a big problem."

Q: You had some trouble deciding whether or not to accept Toyota's offer to race for them in Formula One - are you happy about the decision you made now?

Da Matta: "I was in a good place - I was in the best team and I was winning races, I was already living in the United States for 6 years and I have a lot of friends there - if I did not think I could do this I would have stayed there. Just on a day to day basis life would be much easier. It's a new challenge - not completely new, but a new challenge."

Q: Given your position do you think it was a risk to transfer from CART to Formula One?

Da Matta: "I don't think it is a risk - I think I have a good opportunity to show well here. Maybe the risk is if I still had a lot to prove in America, and then maybe didn't have the opportunity to go back one day. But with everything I have done there I think there are still doors open if something goes wrong here - I maybe can go back and race in CART again, which is a series that I like a lot. But Formula One is the top, and I have a chance to drive here."

Q: Your fans will presumably be happy to see you move to Formula One?

Da Matta: "Brazilian people like Formula One better - they like CART, but they do not like the ovals. Brazilian people are like European people - we like normal (road) tracks, and also street tracks, but not so much the oval tracks."

Q: And I'm sure they will be happy to see you join your compatriot Rubens Barrichello. Do you get on with him, and how do you think your reputation at home will fare in comparison to him?

Da Matta: "He is a guy who has a chance to win the World Championship, but to be honest I don't think I have a chance to win the championship (shrugs). We are good friends, but I don't think we will be competing against each other this year. I hope I will (laughs), but being realistic I don't think we are ready for that this year."

Q: Another compatriot, Ricardo Zonta, has just been announced as Toyota's third driver. Were you happy about this decision?

Da Matta: "Yes, I am happy. I can trust his work. When they told me (he was joining the team) I didn't even know he was on the list - I was very surprised. He is a friend - we raced together in Formula 3 in 1994, and then also we raced in Formula 3000 in 1996."

Q: You are known for talking up CART - do you see it as your role to defend the honour of the drivers in that series against the current Formula One drivers?

Da Matta: "I think [Juan Pablo] Montoya and [Jacques] Villeneuve have already done the job of coming here and protecting the CART name, and of course if I can do it it will be even better for the series, but it has already been proven that the level of drivers there is very good."

Q: Of course, Alex Zanardi and Michael Andretti didn't fare quite so well…

Da Matta: "I think both are very good drivers, but what happened to them is why Formula One is Formula One. Zanardi, what happened to him is Formula One, and also Andretti, who I think is not as good a driver as Zanardi but is a good driver too, as you can see from everything he has run in America. I don't understand why he did not do so good here too. They are different situations but Formula One is not forgiving, and that's why it makes it so difficult. Maybe that is the difference between Formula One and CART."

Q: You probably picked a good time to get out of CART, given the problems they are currently going through.

Da Matta: "Yes, it was good timing (laughs). It was still a difficult decision but it was a good time to get out, and I saw it was a good time to get into Formula One. I think the (CART) series this year is going to step back in time a few years - I think it is going to step back to maybe what it was in the late 80s and early 90s where there were a couple of good teams, a couple of good drivers. I hope they can get back to the shape they were in the late 90s. I don't think there is a person in the world who doesn't want that series to do well because it is great racing."

Q: Do you see the new qualifying rules as presenting an added problem for you?

Da Matta: "I think the new rules are more difficult, and will be an extra challenge for me. Everything that cuts track time is not in my favour. As a new driver the more track time I have, especially at new tracks, for me is very important."

Q: Will you be spending more time in testing because of this?

Da Matta: "I will, and that is one of the things I requested from the team - to test more. I think the only thing that can help me to learn the tracks quick is … the more use I get in the car, the more quick I can learn the tracks. I am going to do as much testing as I can."

Q: Where will you be testing?

Da Matta: "We are going to spend a lot of time here (Le Castellet). Half of our test time will be in Paul Ricard, and the other half in other tracks. Of course on the race tracks that we can test at I am going to test, like Silverstone, Imola, Monza, those are all tracks that I know. Silverstone I used to know but it is all different now. I am going to have the opportunity to learn these tracks before race time."

Q: And where will you be based over the season?

Da Matta: "I'll be in Monte Carlo - I have only spent one day there so far, but it seems like a good place to live to me."

Q: For how long are you signed to race for Toyota?

Da Matta: "It is 2 years - a fixed 2 years, with no options."

Q: Do you think you are ready to drive in Formula One?

Da Matta: "I feel a lot more comfortable in the car, a lot more comfortable about my driving right now, I feel like everything is coming together. I am getting to know the team better, getting to know the people in the team better. There is still a long way to go but I am feeling better and better basically. I think if I can progress a bit in the next 2 months I will arrive in Melbourne in pretty good shape."

Q: And if you don't?

Da Matta: "If I don't show well this year it is because I didn't deserve to be in Formula One, and I will go to another place."