Toyota to take option on da Matta?

Cristiano da Matta appears poised to become the first driver retained by the Toyota F1 team, having made a positive start to his Formula One career this season.

The Brazilian, drafted in alongside Olivier Panis to replace first year drivers Mika Salo and Allan McNish, has scored three points so far in a season in which the Toyota TF103 has struggled to match the high expectations set by the team. The reigning CART champion has suffered the usual high and low points experienced by any rookie, but has impressed the team with his feedback and performances on race weekends.

The Cologne-based Toyota team has yet to make any formal announcement of its driver line-up for next year, but da Matta's friend - and former Champ Car rival - Tony Kanaan has let slip that the Brazilian is in the frame for a second season.

"They are happy with him - they just called him for an extension, [saying] that they would pick up the option," the IRL points leader revealed in a press interview, "He is enjoying that. He wants to win, and he knows that's a little far off right now, but they're working on it and, you know, he is enjoying his new role as a F1 driver.

"We talk every week, and he is having, I would say, an okay year. He is still getting used to the car and tracks that he has never been - and, without testing much on those tracks, it's tough - but he has been bringing points. He had a couple of races that he was [looking likely to score] points, and they had the mechanical [failure]."

There has been much speculation surrounding the possible Toyota line-up for 2004, with Ralf Schumacher touted to be looking for a ride before he started winning races in the new Williams-BMW. At present, however, rather more speculation surrounds the position of technical director, with Renault design guru Mike Gascoyne reported to have been offered a multi-million dollar sum to jump ship before next season.