Toyota's da Matta quest off
Toyota looks to have failed in its efforts to recruit Champ car title favourite Cristiano da Matta to its Formula 1 squad
The Brazilian was thought to be top of the Japanese manufacturer's list of drivers to join new signing Olivier Panis on its 2003 driver strength, but talks with da Matta's current boss Carl Haas to secure the Brazilian's release from his 2003 contract have foundered. "I think I'm staying in CART," said da Matta. "They [people in F1] don't respect who we are or what we do here. They don't want to pay and they keep talking about me being a test driver instead of a race driver. I don't like what they think."
Toyota is still thought to want a Brazilian driver for marketing reasons. Williams test driver Antonio Pizzonia and Sauber exile Felipe Massa now look likely to move into the equation. Recent Minardi team-mates Anthony Davidson and Mark Webber have also been linked to the drive.
See this week's Autosport, published today, for the full story.
Share Or Save This Story
Solberg explains crash that ended WRC Canary Islands fight with Ogier
Ogier: Solberg WRC Canary Islands fight is a rarity in modern rally
How "making no mistakes" was pivotal in Toyota pipping Ferrari at WEC 2026 opener
Great debate: Will Verstappen quit F1 and should F1 care?
How Antonelli restored Mercedes order in F1 Miami GP qualifying
Verstappen reveals hidden factor in Red Bull’s F1 recovery
Porsche explains impact of 963 weight increase after Long Beach
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments