Cristiano da Matta's return to the Champ Car World Series after a two-year
shot at Formula One may be just what both he and new teammate Jimmy Vasser
needed
source:
sports.yahoo.com - Mike Harris
Da Matta is happy to be back in the series where he won a championship in 2002,
and his arrival has given Vasser, another former champion, a big shot of
enthusiasm and expectation.
"I feel like I've come home," said the 28-year-old da Matta. "I had my
opportunity in Formula One and, for a lot of reasons, it didn't work out. But I
have no shame to be back in Champ Car, which is a great competitive series."
The Brazilian driver knew going into F1 in 2003 with the startup Toyota team
would not be easy. The team was respectable that first season, but slipped badly
in 2004 and da Matta was fired before the end of the season.
"There was tremendous pressure on the team," da Matta said. "They needed a
scapegoat, and it was me. It would have bothered me a lot more if I knew the
problem was me. But nobody else was any better with that car. We just didn't
have all the things in place to be successful."
For da Matta, who grew up with the dream of racing in F1, the experience was
frustrating and infuriating. But, unlike many drivers who find themselves out of
work, he at least knew there were opportunities on this side of the Atlantic.