Zonta to replace Damatta with immediate effect

Link (http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=21887)


"We revised our original plans after we reviewed the results of the last three grands prix. Ricardo Zonta consistently performed very well, as indeed he also did in the first half of the 2004 season. We believe it is fair to offer Ricardo the chance to show his potential in full race conditions, before we enter into the final step of our driver evaluation for the 2005 season."

"We decided to retain Olivier Panis as a race driver for the rest of this season, based on the fact that he is the driver who has secured the team's best race result of the year so far (5th in Indianapolis) and has collected the higher number of Championship points (5). Cristiano da Matta will remain a Panasonic Toyota Racing driver until the end of 2004 and could still be called upon to undertake activities accordingly."

Strange decision. At least it will give Ryan Briscoe a chance to drive on Fridays.

Da Matta's never really impressed me and doesnt appear to be desperate to stay in F1. Gives the opportunity to those who want it.

Fair enough, but Zonta?? He was very good in sportscars and I really wanted him to do well, but in his 30 something F1 races he, unfortunately, left me as unimpressed as I am with DaMatta.

Da Matta, ultimately, is much in the same mold as Alex Zanardi (though I do believe Zanardi is a much more talented driver than his season with Williams made him out to be and hold nothing but admiration for the man).

He was a CART stand-out but not quite F1 material. Here's hoping Sebastian Bourdais (who's tossing his hat into the testing role/midpack ride ring) isn't another one of these, because I'll root for anyone who can give Paul Tracy that much of a fit.