Zonta: Transition to race driver was quite smooth.

Ricardo Zonta didn't expect to be racing in Formula One this season, but is determined to take his chance after Toyota decided to promote him to race driver at the expense of fellow Brazilian Cristiano Da Matta.

Zonta, who has previously raced in F1 for BAR and Jordan, made his seasons bow in Hungary, where he failed to finish.

He admits that the transition from test driver to racer wasn't that hard.

"The transition from third driver to race driver at Hungary was quite smooth," he said. "Obviously, I had a lot more time in the car, but Friday was not easy because it was my first time driving the new TF104B, so I had to spend a lot of time fine-tuning the car for me. On Saturday, I was up to speed in free practice, but the one-lap qualifying system was another new element for me to learn and it was difficult to put everything together. After three years of being away from racing, that is quite normal and is something that will be rectified this weekend. Everything is going to be easier in Spa. I am much more relaxed and I know what the car can do."

That next race at Spa is scene of one of the most talked about passing moves of recent years, and Zonta was literally right in the middle of it.

On the long drag up to Les Combes, Zonta found himself caught up the battle for the lead between Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher during the 2000 race. As Schumacher went left to lap the BAR, Hakkinen elected to go right, and lapped Zonta and took the lead in one move.

"Everyone remembers the Mika Hakkinen-Michael Schumacher manoeuvre and I think that the move by Hakkinen was very impressive," Zonta said. "Michael was on my left and I didn't see Mika coming on the right side. It was a little surprising to say the least."