Ralph Schumacher will leave Williams for Toyota in 2005 after signing a three-year deal, the Japanese formula-one team said on Wednesday.
Toyota racing team principal Tsutomu Tomita said: ”He has proven himself to be an extremely quick racing driver in his career, and I am sure that his vast experience will be extremely beneficial to our team.”
Toyota’s current drivers, Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta, are not expected to have their contracts renewed at the end of the season.
”We have not finalised who will partner Ralf in 2005, and this is something we are in no rush to decide on,” Tomita said.
”We are happy with the job that Cristiano and Olivier are doing for us and both of them are under consideration for the remaining race seat next season.
”There are still eight races of the season to go and everyone at Toyota is fully focused on improving our level of performance to gain as many championship points as we can.”
The team will make a decision on the remaining race seat towards the end of the season.
Toyota, who have the second-biggest budget on the grid behind world champions Ferrari, are currently seventh in the constructors’ championship with just eight points. Panis has five and Da Matta three.
Schumacher is unlikely to drive again this season after fracturing vertebrae in a high-speed crash during the United States Grand Prix two weeks ago. — Sapa-AFP