Coulthard seals Mercedes DTM drive

This week's AUTOSPORT magazine revealed that a deal for Coulthard to drive a 2008 Mercedes for the Mucke team was all but done after successful winter tests, and the Scot has confirmed this morning that his DTM move will go ahead.

With no clashes between the DTM and Formula 1, Coulthard will also continue his role as a pundit for the BBC's F1 coverage.

"I didn't actively look to race anything through 2009 but at the season finale DTM race I really got the buzz and the tingle again for the competition," Coulthard told BBC Sport.

"That led to a test with Mercedes, which led to me making the decision that I'd like to dovetail my BBC work with racing in the DTM.

"There's a reasonable level of technology involved in the cars, it's a professionally run championship and in Mercedes there's a company I worked with for seven year in my time at McLaren."

The 39-year-old Scot took 13 victories and 12 pole positions during a 247-race grand prix career with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. Coulthard said that he would never have considered a return to F1, but was still keen to compete elsewhere.

"I had a call from one of the teams which I never returned because people in F1 knew I wasn't looking to make a return in F1," he said.

"The adrenaline is the thing I miss in everyday life. Do I miss the competition? Only because I know how much fun it is to compete. But there's not a big void in my life which means I'm missing it.

"But if I can do a championship which fits with my other commitments and I get the buzz you get behind the wheel of a racing car, then why would I not take it? I'm almost 40, I won't have that option open to me when I'm almost 50."

Coulthard joins fellow ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, and McLaren and Force India F1 reserves Gary Paffett and Paul di Resta, in the Mercedes line-up.