Toyota sign Ralf for 2005

Paris - Ralf Schumacher will leave Williams for Toyota in 2005 after signing a three-year deal, the Japanese Formula One team said 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 were 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 focussed 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.

Ralf 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.

Meanwhile in London, Spaniard Marc Gene will continue to stand in for injured German Ralf Schumacher at Sunday's British Grand Prix, his Williams team said.

"Once again Marc Gene will be driving the second car as he did a good job in Magny-Cours," technical director Sam Michael said in a statement on Tuesday.

"His fastest lap in the race was a 10th faster than Juan Pablo's so we are sure that he will be fired up to score some points for the team."

Sunday's race will be Gene's third for Williams since he joined as a test driver in 2001 to assist Schumacher and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

The Spaniard stood in for Schumacher at last year's Italian Grand Prix when the German was injured. He was drafted in again for last weekend's French Grand Prix after Schumacher crashed at Indianapolis in the US round.

Gene finished 10th and the team said afterwards that it would make decisions race by race on who stood in for Schumacher.

The German is expected to be out of action for at least three months, although his manager Willi Weber said at the weekend that he hoped to come back for the Hungarian Grand Prix next month.

"I am very much looking forward to Silverstone," said Gene, who has tested extensively at what is a home circuit for Williams, who are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first Formula One victory this weekend.

"Although everything went well for me at Magny-Cours, I will be using that experience to help me improve my race performance at Silverstone.

"We've always achieved competitive lap times there."

Montoya, who is leaving for McLaren, said he would do whatever he could to help Gene: "I'll give him all the support he needs. I get on very well with Marc and whatever I can do to help him, I'll do for sure."

The British Grand Prix is the 11th round of the championship. Williams are fourth overall.

 -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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