Toyota Boss Says Driver Announcement Can Wait

Toyota have no plans to replace either of their Formula One drivers this season and their 2005 line-up will not be announced until later in the year, team boss Tsutomo Tomita said on Thursday.

"There is no plan to replace Olivier Panis or Cristiano da Matta during this season," he said in a statement at the European Grand Prix. "I categorically deny all recent media speculation that a driver swap with another team's driver will happen.

"Like all teams, we are obviously evaluating our driver options for next year," added the Japanese. "In the second part of the season, once a decision has been made concerning our 2005 driver line-up, we will make an official announcement."

Tomita was responding to speculation about Germany's Ralf Schumacher, with suggestions in several newspapers that Toyota might make an announcement at the Nurburgring this weekend.

The circuit in the Eifel mountains is the nearest to Toyota's Cologne factory as well as being the closest to Ralf's boyhood home in Kerpen.

Austria's former champion Niki Lauda speculated recently that Ralf, outperformed by Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya and linked to a big money move to Toyota, might not see out the season at Williams.

Ralf told a news conference at the circuit that he was still talking about his future with Williams and other teams.

"I consider it quite sure that I will be in F1, that's not a problem," said the German.