McNish retirement shock 17 | 12 | 2013

    SCOTLAND'S MOST RECENT world champion, sportscar ace Allan McNish, has stunned the motorsport world by announcing his immediate retirement. The news comes just weeks after Bathgate's Dario Franchitti was forced to retire from IndyCar racing on medical grounds.

    The Dumfries racer, who celebrates his 44th birthday later this month, took the decision at the end of a pivotal year which has seen him win his third Le Mans 24-Hours, and first FIA World Endurance Championship.

    "I'll not pretend otherwise, it's been a tough decision," McNish admitted today before flying to Munich where he will hold meetings with his Audi team tomorrow.

    "When you get a year like this, and at this stage of my career, you really can't help feeling this is it, it's the top, and it's unlikely to be repeated.

    "So I've thought long and hard about it, and I've taken the decision to get out while I'm at the top.

    Related: Allan McNish — World Champion

    “As a racing driver it’s important to stop racing at the right time when I’m still fast and capable of doing the job, and the timing feels right after winning Le Mans for a third time this year and claiming the World title.

    "It's exactly what my old mentor Jackie Stewart did when he won his third Formula One world title, and the decision didn't really seem to do him any harm."

    McNish, who began his single-seater racing career at Knockhill under the knowledgeable eyes of David Leslie Snr, has contested 89 races since making his Audi sportscar debut in 2000 scoring 66 top-three “podiums” – including 29 outright race wins – for “factory” or “customer” Audi.

    And in addition to his three American Le Mans Series titles, the Monaco-based Scot notched a number of other additional wins, including four in both the Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans races. He also finished second in the Daytona 24 Hours on three occasions.

    Related: Allan McNish wins Le Mans 24-Hours

    McNish, the President of the Scottish Motor Racing Club, started his 33-year racing career in karting, winning three British and six Scottish championship titles between 1982-86, finishing third in the World Championship in 1985.

    He won the 1988 Formula Vauxhall Lotus Championship and finished second in the 1989 British Formula Three Championship by a mere three points.

    In Formula One, McNish had testing contracts with McLaren and Benetton (1990-96), Toyota (2000-02) – including a full F1 World Championship race season in 2002 – and Renault (2003).

    McNish, who will attend the Audi Christmas party tomorrow, will continue to work with the Audi Le Mans factory team in various roles.

    The Scot — who has already been part of both Sky's F1 coverage, and an analyst on BBC Radio 5Live — is also expected now to develop his media career and move into management as he bids to develop the next generation of younger racing Scots.

    Related: Allan McNish seeks new generation of Scots racers

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    Jim McGill

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