Mercedes have confirmed former F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen as a DTM driver for a third season.

“It’s nice to continue being part of the Mercedes-Benz motorsport family,” Hakkinen said. “It is important to continue my long-standing, successful partnership with them.

“My results in 2006 don’t reflect our true potential and my target is to rectify that. I want to show what I am capable of in the DTM.”

Hakkinen, who won both F1 titles with McLaren-Mercedes, tested McLaren’s F1 car at the end of 2006.

Takuma Sato’s manager Andrew Gilbert-Scott has denied that Honda created ‘B’-team Super Aguri purely to defuse anger in Japan at Sato’s departure from the works team. Super Aguri’s 2007 car is a development of Honda’s RA106.
BMW Sauber test driver Sebastian Vettel insists he is concentrating on winning the World Series by Renault title in 2007, despite his F1 testing duties.

“For me is very important to compete, to be on the track with the others, to qualify and to be able to race,” he said. “This is why in 2007, it is very important to take part in some races. I’m very happy to be able to combine my activities as a test driver in Formula One with racing in the World Series, a high level championship with a very competitive car”.

18-year old Vettel was initially set for a GP2 drive in 2007, however the smaller WSR calendar will more easily allow him to combine racing with testing for BMW Sauber.

Neel Jani will not race for Team Switzerland in next weekend’s A1GP race at Eastern Creek, Australia, after injuring his hand in a car door after testing for the PKV Champ Car team. Sebastien Buemi, who made his series debut in Taupo, will drive instead.