Cristiano da Matta reflects on Melbourne

Melbourne couldn't have come soon enough for me. After an intense winter test programme with Panasonic Toyota Racing I was anxious to get racing and to go head-to-head with the best drivers in the world. And what an experience it was!

Australian Grand Prix - Race

Strong performances from Panasonic Toyota Racing drivers Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta all weekend were not rewarded in Melbourne today, as neither driver finished the 2003 Australian Grand Prix. After an excellent qualifying yesterday, Olivier Panis was regularly running in a points-scoring position, but a fuel pressure problem forced him out of the race on lap 32. Starting from 16th on the grid, Cristiano da Matta was making good progress through the field, but retired on lap 7, braking too late into turn 3.

Australian Grand Prix Race report

Panasonic Toyota Racing endured a disappointing start to the new Grand Prix season when both cars retired from the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. However, the team remains upbeat after displaying the true potential of its two race drivers and the TF103 car over the weekend.

Australian Grand Prix Second Qualifying Session

Panasonic Toyota Racing today scored its highest ever qualifying position for a Formula 1 race, when Olivier Panis put his TF103 car fifth on the grid for tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne. Cristiano da Matta was running a different strategy to his French team-mate and the Brazilian will line up in 16th place for his debut F1 race.

Australian GP Second Qualifying Report

Panasonic Toyota Racing will begin the new Grand Prix season with high hopes of a point-scoring race in Melbourne after Olivier Panis achieved the team's best-ever start position, fifth place, in his first GP weekend for the team.

Australian Grand Prix First Qualifying Session

On its first taste of the new qualifying system at Albert Park in Melbourne today, Panasonic Toyota Racing achieved its first top ten qualifying position of the year with French driver Olivier Panis putting his TF103 in 8th place on the timesheets. Brazilian Cristiano da Matta only had one hour of free practice this morning in which to learn the track and took 11th place.

Australian Grand Prix - First Qualifying Report

First top ten of 2003!The opening day of the 2003 Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit heralded the start of a brave new world for Formula 1.

GP Insight - Round 1: Australia

The picturesque Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, Australia is the venue for the start of the 2003 Formula 1 World Championship this weekend. Veteran of 125 Grands Prix, Frenchman Olivier Panis, and F1 newcomer Brazilian Cristiano da Matta will be making their race debut for Panasonic Toyota Racing, as the team embarks on its second season in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Olivier Panis looks ahead to Melbourne

"The Albert Park circuit in Melbourne is a very nice place to begin the Formula 1 season, as I think the ambience is terrific with everybody anxious to see how the cars perform in actual competition.