July, 2000 -
Cristiano da Matta, driving for Carl Wells' PPI Motorsports Pioneer/World Com Toyota Reynard, spoke with NYAutoRacing.com after the practice session for Michigan 500 about his season, and his TV commercial.
KEVIN MA: Are you happy with your season so far?
CRISTIANO DA MATTA: Not very much at the beginning of the season because it was too confusing, and we were struggling, especially on the ovals. Now we've got the oval car sorted out, and the road course car has always been relatively good, so I am fairly happy, especially all the problems we had, seventh right now in the points [as of the end of Toronto], 28 points behind the leader, so that makes me happy.
KM: Now, you came very close in having a taste of victory in the past two races at Cleveland and Toronto, do you think you can cash in a win by the end of this season?
CdM: Well, if things are going the way it has been right now, we are going to end up winning races.
KM: Looking back at Cleveland, do you think you should have won the race if the CART official didn't put the cones on the entry of the first corner?
CdM: Yes I would have had a better chance, but you'll never know.
KM: But you had contact with other cars, in which you needed to come in to the pit, didn't it hurt your chances?
CdM: Of course. I was starting fifth from the grid but that incident put me down to the last, and it is always better to start from fifth than the last.
KM: Were you happy with your first podium in Cleveland or disappointed not winning that race?
CdM: I was disappointed because I had the car to win it, but that's the way it goes and that's not the first time things like that happened to me. It is just part of the game.
KM: In Toronto, you led most laps, do you think the slightly slower pit stop cost you the win over there?
CdM: Likely, but the biggest thing was we had to pit a lap earlier than anybody else, and when we do that the other guys have one more lap more than us, especially Michael (Andretti) has one more lap more than me, and also warm tires and less fuel. I drove a little bit slower in cold tires so when he finished his pit stop he came ahead of me.
KM: This is your second season with PPI Toyota. What's the process of the Toyota engine?
CdM: It is a lot better. It's a whole different engine and they have made big progress to make it capable to win races. We are running up front as well as the Ganassi team, so it is just a matter of time to get to the top step of the podium.
KM: Are you surprised that you and your teammate Oriol Servia are having a better season than the Ganassi guys?
CdM: Well, that's not true because we just had a better car in the past couple of races, but at the beginning of the season they were ahead of us.
KM: You have driven both Formula 3000 and Indy Lights, can you tell us the differences between them?
CdM: Both cars are basically the same -- Formula 3000 now have lighter fuel, which is a good thing. Indy Lights has a little more fuel, but they are both competitive series. The Indy Lights car I drove was better than the Formula 3000 when I was there -- but they have better 3000 cars right now. Tires are better here with Indy Lights, but power-wise, the 3000 cars have 450bhp and the Indy Light cars have 425bhp. I would say they are very similar, but it depends on what you want. If you want to go to Formula One, you go to Formula 3000 and if you want to go to Champ Car, you come to Indy Lights.
KM: Who was your favorite driver when you were younger?
CdM: I would say my dad.
KM: What about Ayrton Senna?
CdM: I like him too, of course.
KM: You were in Formula 3000 a few seasons ago, did you ever think of going to Formula One or was your goal here in CART?
CdM: I was thinking to go to Formula One first, but when the time Formula One is getting more and more difficult and I had to find major sponsors to get me to the series, and also when I looked at it, Formula One has too much difference in equipment between big teams and small teams. Here in Champ Car we have 25 cars running within 1 second, which is very competitive, and that's why I came here.
KM: Are there are better opportunities and easier to be successful here?
CdM: Not really, I think I can be successful in Europe too. CART is just a better series than F-1.
KM: Having so many Brazilians being successful here, are you feeling proud that you are one of them?
CdM: It is good for the country to have racing drivers being successful here. Motor Sports in my country is so strong and there are many good drivers.
KM: Since you are 5-foot-3, which is a bit smaller that the other guys, do you think you have the advantage when you are driving?
CdM: No, actually it is the other way around because everything is heavier for me, than the big guys for example.
KM: Cristiano, I have to ask you this but you had a commercial with Toyota, which is a very funny one. Do you enjoy being on TV and doing commercials?
CdM: I enjoyed it a lot! Especially I go to the racetracks and I have race fans who talk about it and saying they like it.
KM: What other things do you do when you are not driving, any hobbies away from the track?
CdM: I like biking -- motorbikes, street bikes, and race bikes. I like to swim, I like to play guitar, well music in general. I like watching shows on TV. Well, I like all kinds of things!
KM: Do you think video games can help you learn the tracks, especially road circuits?
CdM: I think they help a little bit in terms of learning the tracks, but the feeling part is missing because you don't have any feedback.
KM: How do you feel about racing three different types of circuits in three consecutive weekends? Road circuit in Toronto, superspeedway in Michigan and one-mile oval in Chicago?
CdM: It is tough, but that makes the series the best in the world because the drivers have to get through all kinds of situations and driving styles for different race tracks, so that's something only the drivers from CART know how to do.
KM: Are you looking forward to going back to Europe and race there?
CdM: A lot. I haven't been racing there for a while and last time I raced there is '96. I miss Europe a lot, even though I enjoy living and racing here in America. Especially going back to England, it will be very good for me to see my friends back there and also race there again.
KM: Finally, what's your outlook of the season, since PPI is coming closer and closer to the victory lane?
CdM: I think we are just getting better every weekend. I am sure all the guys working here keep on pushing to put us on the top, and I will be doing the same too. Every team is trying to improve and we just have to keep on doing the same thing.
