Mercedes confirms DTM line-up

Both drivers had taken part in the official pre-season test at Valencia last month in 2008-spec Mercedes, with Coulthard driving for one day and Cheng participating in all four.

With Mathias Lauda the only driver leaving Mercedes from its 2009 squad, it means the manufacturer will go back to running five older-spec cars as it did two years ago.

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug said: "David Coulthard will certainly be the focus of the audience when he returns to racing in the DTM.

"David is one of the most distinguished and worldwide best-known drivers, who is not only competent but also extremely charismatic. Franky Cheng is a promising Chinese driver who gets a chance for more success."

Haug added that while Mercedes has not won the drivers' title since Bernd Schneider's 2006 success, he was pleased with his outfit's winning record.

"During the previous three years we did not win the drivers' title, but we won 18 out of 31 races - almost 60 per cent of all wins," he said. "Of course it would be nice to be on top both with victories and points at the end of this year."

DTM 2010 entry list
 #1 Timo Scheider        Audi
 #2 Oliver Jarvis        Audi
 #3 Gary Paffett         Mercedes
 #4 Bruno Spengler       Mercedes
 #5 Mattias Ekstrom      Audi
 #6 Martin Tomczyk       Audi
 #7 Paul di Resta        Mercedes
 #8 Ralf Schumacher      Mercedes
 #9 Alexandre Premat     Phoenix Audi
#10 Mike Rockenfeller    Phoenix Audi
#11 Jamie Green          Persson Mercedes
#12 Susie Stoddart       Persson Mercedes
#14 Markus Winkelhock    Rosberg Audi
#15 Katherine Legge      Rosberg Audi
#16 Maro Engel           Mucke Mercedes
#17 David Coulthard      Mucke Mercedes
#18 Miguel Molina        Abt Audi
#21 Franky Cheng         Persson Mercedes