AUGUST 12, 2004

Da Matta in the US

Cristiano da Matta was in the United States last weekend, attending the Champ Car race at Road America and the word on the street in US circles is that the Brazilian has the offer of a job in the series next year with Paul Newman, who is planning to run his own team in 2005.

Cristiano da Matta, San Marino GP 2004
© The Cahier Archive

Cristiano da Matta was in the United States last weekend, attending the Champ Car race at Road America and the word on the street in US circles is that the Brazilian has the offer of a job in the series next year with Paul Newman, who is planning to run his own team in 2005 rather than continue with Newman-Haas Racing. The latest suggestion is that Newman and Carl Haas have been unable to agree on the future and that Haas is going to go to the Indy Racing League next year with Honda engines and that Newman will start his own team in Champ Cars for da Matta and Sebastien Bourdais. It is rumoured that Bruno Junqueira will go with Haas to IRL.

Da Matta is currently saying that he has not given up hopes of an F1 drive in 2005 but there does not seem to be that much interest in Cristiano in the F1 paddock.