Frentzen heads to DTM

Three-time Grand Prix winner HH Frentzen has today confirmed that he has retired from F1 and will now focus on the German Touring Car Championship (DTM). The 36-year-old this morning revealed that he is to drive an Opel in the 2004 championship.

"Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a true fighter and a highly popular racer who is an excellent match for the Opel brand," Carl-Peter Forster, Opel's Chief Executive Officer. "He has never given up, even when the going got tough, and that's what makes him so special."

The former Sauber driver will compete against former-F1 star, and Sauber driver, Jean Alesi, who races for the rival Mercedes-Benz works team.

"I realised immediately that the whole team is highly motivated," said Frentzen at this morning's press conference. "I think the conditions for winning races are there. The challenge is to contribute to the team's success."

In a ten-year F1 career, Heinz-Harald competed in 157 races for Sauber, Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows. Ironically two of the teams - Prost and Arrows - went bust while he was still signed to drive for them.

In addition to three GP wins, the German scored 174 points, 2 pole-positions and 6 fastest laps. His last trip to the podium was at Indianapolis this year when he finished third behind Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen.