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Cristiano da Matta
Born: 19.09.73
Birthplace:Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Team: Toyota
2006 Car Number: 16
Last Season: 13th |
GP Pedigree (After the German Grand Prix)
Starts: 28
Victories: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0
Points: 14
GP Debut: 2003, Australian GP, Toyota
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Cristiano Da Matta acquitted himself on his first season in F1 despite consistent trouble with the Toyota car.
The latest South American to emerge as a star on the oval circuits of the United States and should become a major name in F1 if he does half as well as Juan Pablo Montoya.
He finished runner-up to Williams' speedy Colombian as rookie of the year when first breaking into Champ Car Racing in 1999 after nearly a decade in his native Brazil making his name in karting and then cars.
Enjoyed a scintillating 2002 with victory in the Championship after seven wins for the Newman-Haas Toyota team and was approached by the Japanese team to switch to Grand Prix racing to make up for their disappointing first season on the world stage last year.
He good a tough welcome to GP racing with a spin on lap seven at the seaso-opener in Australia but recovered well.
He picked up creditable sixth places in Spain and Germany and outscored his more experienced team-mate Olivier Panis.
The same two pair up again but the Toyota package will have to be more reliable this time if Da Matta is to find his way onto the podium.
Formula One Career:
| 2004:
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GP with Toyota. |
| 2003:
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GP with Toyota - sixth in Spain and Germany, seventh in Britain and Japan (10 pts, 13th in championship) |
Background:
| 2002:
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Winner of FedEx CART Championship for Newman-Haas/Toyota with seven wins and seven poles
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| 2001:
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Fifth in FedEx CART Championship for Newman-Haas/Toyota with three wins
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| 2000:
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10th in FedEx CART Championship for PPI Motorsports/Toyota with one win
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| 1999:
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18th in FedEx CART Championship for Arciero Wells/Toyota and runner-up to Juan Pablo Montoya for Rookie of the Year title
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| 1998:
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First in Indy Lights with four wins
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| 1997:
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Third in Indy Lights with three wins and Rookie of the Year title
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| 1996:
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Eighth in European Formula 3000 Championship
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| 1995:
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Eighth in British Formula Three Championship with one win
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| 1994:
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Winner of Brazilian Formula Three with four wins and seven poles
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| 1993:
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Winner of Brazilian Formula Ford with four wins and four poles
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| 1991:
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Winner Brazilian Karting Championship
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