Toyota set to retain current line-up

Frenchman Olivier Panis and Brazilian rookie Cristiano da Matta look set to be retained by Toyota for 2004.

The Cologne-based team have been linked with several drivers – including BAR’s former world champion Jacques Villeneuve – but are likely to keep faith with their current line-up.

“I would say it’s 95% certain,” Toyota’s team chief Ove Andersson said at this weekend’s European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany.

Panis, who will be 37 in September, and 2002 Champ Car champion da Matta were signed after Toyota decided to ditch Britain’s Allan McNish and Finland’s Mika Salo following their debut season.

The Japanese-backed team, whose £200million budget is one of the biggest in Formula One, have had a disappointing second campaign and are currently ninth in the constructors’ championship with four points.

“I’m a little disappointed with the first few races because out winter testing was going reasonably well,” added Andersson.

“Then we came to Australia and Malaysia and we had problems that we never saw in testing because of the temperatures.

“I think that really pushed us back a bit, then as the season came to Europe I think we dropped behind the other teams in terms of development but I hope we can catch up again until the end of the year.”