Wednesday October 9th, 2002

By Alan Baldwin

Allan McNish still harbours hopes of staying in Formula One next year as he prepares for his final race for Toyota on Sunday.

"Whether it is the last or not remains to be seen," he told Reuters in an interview today when asked whether his team's home debut at the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix would also be his Formula One farewell.

"I think probably in the next two or three weeks I'll know what's going to go on.

"There is a chance (of staying on)," he added. "But you know how these things do sometimes take a little bit longer to all unfold. Certainly it's taken longer to sort itself than I initially anticipated it was going to."

The 32-year-old Le Mans winner was a latecomer to the Grand Prix world, making his Formula One debut with newcomers Toyota this season after years in which it seemed his chance had gone. He has still not scored a point, finishing seventh in Malaysia in March, and Sunday's race at Suzuka could well be his last chance.

Although some paddock regulars thought McNish had done a solid enough job to be kept on for reasons of continuity and development, Toyota announced in August that both he and Finland's Mika Salo would be leaving. Salo, 35, has said he will retire while McNish has yet to decide where his future lies, although there are few vacancies in Formula One.

Tough Season

There could well be only 10 teams next season and at present only Minardi and Ford-owned Jaguar have recognised openings, with McNish not one of the names bandied about by either. The Scot refused to criticise Toyota, with whom he has had a long association in both sportscars and the Formula One project, but he said the Germany-based team had a tough season ahead of them.

"You saw it with everybody - Stewart, Jordan and BAR - that year two is definitely more critical," he said.

"The lessons of year one have been learned but also having to develop a new car while racing, that's a hell of an undertaking. Obviously I'm biased but I think as a unit we'd be a lot stronger next year because we know what's going on."

Suzuka, a circuit founded by rivals Honda, will be probably Toyota's biggest race of the season and both Salo and McNish know the track well from extensive testing and racing there over the years.

"I've got a good feel for the place, I know what is important from a driving point of view and also from a car point of view," said McNish. "I think it should be a reasonable one for us.

"It's a big race for Toyota and it's the last race I will be doing for them in Formula One so it is tinged a little bit with sadness. It'll be a funny feeling on Sunday night, but that's motor racing. We know all about it."

No Regrets

The Scot said that, deep down, he had no regrets about his race performances this season even if he would have done some things differently given a second chance.

"Somebody said to me just before America that if I'd finished in Malaysia where I was running and at Monza where I was running, I'd be 11th in the Championship," he said.

"I hadn't looked at it that way but I'd have had four points, which puts a totally different perspective on the season. But then again, there was nothing I could do about either of them.

"There are areas where obviously if I had done the season again I would change certain things. I think I lost out at the beginning of the season in the first few races more in qualifying than in race trim. My group of engineers were new and I think we were a bit inexperienced when it came to qualifying because that is a different knack.

"But from a race point of view, I'm happy. Invariably we have been quick in the races...the unfortunate point is that sometimes the results don't show it."

Published at 11:27:58 GMT