Hakkinen tests DTM car

The Finn, who came close to returning to F1 with Williams next year before the team opted for Jenson Button, is understood to be conducting the run to work out whether he would be interested in competing in the German touring car series in 2005.

Speaking to Finnish television station YLE on Tuesday, Hakkinen confirmed that he was testing but refused to give any further details. "I'm doing a test in a DTM car in a secret place in Europe," he said.

It is believed the test was in a Mercedes-Benz and was taking place in Germany. Hakkinen went on to make it clear that he has no contract to race in the DTM next year and at the moment the plan is simply for him to test.

There has been much speculation about Hakkinen's future plans all season, ever since it became clear that he was interested in making a full-time comeback to motor racing after turning his back on F1 at the end of 2001.

He competed in two Porsche races in Finland earlier this year and, with his F1 ambitions having been snubbed out, the DTM is an obvious alternative.