Writing on his own website, Jean Alesi (right) has revealed that he is to quit DTM, having contested the German series since 2002.

It is over now, a bad ending to a very good weekend, but it was also a painful race because it will be my last here, as I can now acknowledge reveal to you that this is my last season in DTM.

Writing about the recent race at the Norisring, in which he was eliminated on the first lap, the Frenchman writes: "What can I say. After having been right up there during all the free tests and qualifying, my race, at a circuit which has given me success in the past, did not even last one lap. A small mechanical problem made us fear the worst before the start, but Persson Motorsport carried out a remarkable job, reacting fast and well. After having taken up place on the 2nd line of the grid, I had a good start, and was more or less prepared mentally to fight my way up that little bit further and try for a podium finish.

"However, Christian Abt hit me hard, which tore my wheel away. The problem with him is that he does not have any race sense, and he does some really silly things without thinking of the negative outcome. He did not mean any harm with this manoeuvre but it had serious consequences. Apart from rain drenched races, this was my only real chance for a podium finish or maybe even a victory this year."

Clearly feeling thoroughly miserable, the former Tyrrell, Ferrari and Benetton star, added: "It is over now, a bad ending to a very good weekend, but it was also a painful race because it will be my last here, as I can now acknowledge reveal to you that this is my last season in DTM."

Alesi then cryptically referred to the failed bid by DireXiv to enter F1 in association with McLaren, a bid that the Frenchman was involved in: "There was more disappointment and immense disillusion to come: DireXiv will not make its entry into Formula One as a team. DireXiv and McLaren have unfortunately finished all discussions and now it will be necessary to try to put together another project, while starting back at zero, or close to it.

"This failure does not come from McLaren, in fact, it is very far from there..."