'Pretty high chance' of da Matta return.

After two years away in Formula One, 2002 Champ Car World Series title winner Cristiano da Matta believes there is a 'pretty high chance' that he will return to the championship this season.

The Brazilian found himself without a drive in Formula One after being replaced by the Toyota team following the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim back in July, and has since been heavily linked to a return to Champ Cars with the Newman Haas team that carried him to his title.

Although sponsorship issues mean that a drive alongside current champion Sebastien Bourdais and 2004 runner-up Bruno Junqueira isn't yet secure, da Matta is confident that he will be on the grid for the 2005 season.

"I think my chance to be back with Champ Cars is pretty high," he said. "What I'm not sure is where I'm going to be driving at, that's a slightly more difficult question. All these sponsorship deals, they depend on big companies, and sometimes the decision takes longer than we think it's going to take; sometimes it's shorter than we think it's going to take. But the process is always complicated, so is difficult to judge.

"Obviously my main target is to try to race with Newman/Haas Racing, and I'm trying to put a deal together but we depend a little bit on some sponsorship deals that are still to be finalised. I'm anxiously waiting on these things to happen. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to be on the grid for next year."