Mercedes signs Albers.

Former German Formula Three Champion Christijan Albers has won the race for the last Mercedes seat, and will join Thomas Jaeger at the Persson team.

Dutchman Albers had already been tested after winning his F3 title in 1999, but opted for a Formula 3000 drive with European Arrows instead of linking up with Mercedes for 2000. He had also been one of the young drivers to get a drive in the impressive CLK-GT car at Oschersleben at the decisive test where last season?s works rookies Marcel Fassler and Thomas Jaeger earned their DTM seat with Mercedes.

While Faessler pulled out a few impressive performances immediately, however, it took Jaeger a little longer to get to grip with DTM. The very bright Munich man always needs at least half a season to work himself to the front - but Mercedes?s DTM wizard Hans Werner Aufrecht seemingly did not want to give him that time. When Aufrecht said on German TV that Jaeger would have to prove whether he'd have the speed, it was evident that the red-haired former La Fili?re pupil would be pushed back into the second row.

Even though Mercedes did not confirm it for a long time, everybody knew Jaeger would have to drive one of last year?s cars in the Persson team. There, he will now be joined by Albers, who had first been invited to a Mercedes test at Hockenheim, but could only attend a later one at Barcelona, where he left a deep impression with HWA engineers. Being only 21 years old, Albers seemed to have learnt a lot in a very character building F3000 season in 2000 where, according to sources from within Mercedes, he must have gotten rid of his somewhat childish approach to racing which sometimes drove F3 boss Bertram Schaefer nuts.

Albers had hoped to earn a seat in Formula One through Minardi, where European boss and new team owner Paul Stoddard chose Tarso Marques instead. Albers has been promised multiple test drives throughout the year. When the immediate door to Formula One closed, Albers jumped at the DTM offer from Mercedes-Benz - much to the delight of their sporting director Norbert Haug:

"He is a very good addition to our team of both and young and experienced drivers," Haug said, "I?m sure he will be a very important player in our team very soon."