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Stoddart waiting for DTM offer

Susie Stoddart believes she would be able to race in the DTM this year should Mercedes offer her a seat, despite her commitments in the World Series by Renault

Stoddart announced last year she would drive for the fledgling Comtec team in the Formula Renault 3.5 category this season, but her options appear to have widened after a surprise test with Mucke Motorsport's DTM team in Barcelona.

Stoddart is reported to have been competitive in the test session and is tipped for a seat in the team this season, although she insists she has yet to receive any formal offer.

She believes that Comtec team boss Jonathan Lewis would not stand in her way of a Mercedes drive, if she decided that is what she wanted to do.

Stoddart told autosport.com: "I don't know where my options are for next year. Jonathan isn't just a good team manager but also a good friend. I'm sure he wouldn't want to stand in my way if it was a good opportunity for me.

"But who knows what will happen this year. I'm not considering DTM yet. I'll only start worrying about what to do if they make me an offer.

"When you get offered a free two-day test in a DTM car you don't turn that down. I was in Australia training when I got the phone call from Mercedes asking me if I wanted to test. It was a surprise, but it was awesome.

"It is a great series but I have to decide if that is what I would want to do. It's moving into touring cars and away from my single-seater aspirations but then, just look at what the champion of DTM has gone onto do this year? It all depends on whether it is a good career move for me. It would be a good step aside, and I definitely won't rule it out."

Stoddart said she was impressed with the 2004-spec C Class she drove during the test, getting more running than she did in the DTM machinery she tested when she was nominated for the McLaren Autosport BRDC award.

She added: "In the awards the test is difficult - you only get two runs of ten laps and you don't have your own seat.

"But with more time I could really push the car and I could really do something. It was really awesome.

"Mika Hakkinen took me out on some reconnaissance laps and he was really nice to me. It would be fantastic to race against all these people I've only heard of previously."

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