Wednesday January 12th, 2000

Former Formula One champion Mario Andretti is hoping to come out of retirement at the age of 60 to compete in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.

"It's very likely that I will do Le Mans this year," the weekly Motoring News quoted the American as saying on Wednesday. "I'm talking to two top-line teams and I should be driving for one or the other."

"I feel comfortable at Le Mans and believe I can go there and be competitive because I know the place so well," added the 1978 Formula One world champion.

He did not name the teams involved but denied that one was Cadillac, returning to Le Mans this year.

Andretti, who also won four Champ car titles and retired from full-time racing at the end of 1994, has never won Le Mans despite several attempts in the 1980s and 1990s.