Andretti to quit racing after Indy

Andretti Green Racing confirmed its 2003 IRL IndyCar series programme yesterday (Friday) and will field four cars at the Indianapolis 500 and three cars elsewhere. After Indy, Andretti will hang up his helmet and give up his seat to young English driver Daniel Wheldon, who will also race at Indy.

Andretti said: "I know I've made the right choice to buy this team and I also know that to be truly successful at team ownership, you have to be willing to give 110 percent to the job. I've decided that I want to be a team owner fulltime, but first there's still a little piece of unfinished business I want to take care of on the racetrack. I still want to win the Indianapolis 500. It's the one thing that I haven't done in my career, and it's the one thing that I really want to accomplish.

"I'm a very lucky man," he added. "Over the past 20 years I've been able to pursue my dreams and succeed at my profession. I've been supported, encouraged and surrounded by people in the racing industry who continue to show me that anything is possible in this sport. I am very happy about this decision. Believe me when I tell you that I will be just as proud to accept first place trophies as the team owner of Andretti Green Racing as I have been to accept them as a driver."

Kim Green, president of AGR, said: "We are happy to announce that we will be running Michael Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti at the first four events this season, but will also add a fourth car for Daniel Wheldon at the Indy 500. Following Michael's retirement at the end of May, Wheldon will become our third full-time driver, and will contest the remainder of the season with team-mates Kanaan and Franchitti."