Alesi not ruling out DTM in '07

The 42-year-old ex-F1 racer, who last week was quoted as saying he was leaving the series at the end of the season, has now told autosport.com that he hasn't ruled out staying there with Mercedes, despite his demotion from its works team this year.

Alesi, now racing a 2005-spec car for Persson Motorsport, said his main aim for 2007 was to keep racing now that his plan to become team boss of the Direxiv F1 project has failed.

"I want to race next year," he said. "Nothing is excluded for me, including DTM. Currently I have no engagement in place with anybody, so I don't know where I will be yet."

Alesi beat Audi's seven-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen to the top of the warm-up times in dreadfully wet weather conditions, his 1:49.703 best just 0.046 seconds quicker. Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen was third fastest.

Alesi said that retirement from racing is far from his mind, and quipped: "Unlike someone, I'm not waiting until Monza to make an announcement."