Nicola Larini Announces FIA WTCC Retirement

Nicola Larini

The FIA World Touring Car Championship will be left without one of its most prominent figures next year, in the person of Chevrolet driver Nicola Larini. The Italian driver today announced that the 2009 season finale at Macau will be his last race in the series, as he will be looking to retire at the age of 45.

Larini will therefore complete his 5th and last year with RML Chevrolet, with whom he won his first race at Marrakech earlier this year. However, he made it very clear that he won't be retiring from motorsport for good, but only as a FIA WTCC driver.

“Macau's round will be my final races as a works drivers in the WTCC. I came to the conclusion that it was the moment to move on and time to call it a career as a WTCC driver,” confirmed Larini after the Macau practice on Friday.

“Chevrolet RML has been my home for five years and I am happy to have spent this time around them, a spell nearly as long as I had with Alfa Romeo and Ferrari before.”

“I am saying goodbye to WTCC in Macau, but I am not saying I'm retiring for good. I still love to race, and if there is a series or an operation that I can join without this taking a toll on my personal life, then I'll give a hard look to the opportunity,” concluded the Italian driver.

Apart from his WTCC career, Larini also contested in the Formula One Championship between 1987 and 1997 (driving for Coloni, Osella, Ligier, Modena, Ferrari and Sauber), but failed to score a single win. His CV includes a DTM championship at his very debut in the series, with Alfa Romeo.

Chevrolet is yet to announce a replacement for Larini for the 2010 FIA WTCC season.