Horag Racing driver Fredy Lienhard has revealed that he will retire from racing at the end of the Silverstone 1000km, the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series season.

The Swiss driver has elected to bring the curtain down on his career on what will be his 61st birthday and admitted that age had been the main factor in making the decision.

"It's simply a matter of my age, which I think that everyone understands," Lienhard said. "Some drivers say that they decide to retire due to health reasons, but I'm in better shape now than I was a few years ago. I wanted to go out at the top of my game, and I'm happy to say that our team is one of the top LMP2 teams around.

"Although it was not an easy decision to make, I know the time is right. I want to end my driving career on this top level, and be thankful for all the good times and special moments that I was privileged to live over all these years."

In addition to sharing the cockpit with drivers Didier Theys and Jan Lammers, Lienhard owns the Porsche RS Spyder that the team campaigns.

Despite ending his career, Lienhard has agreed to allow Horag Racing team owner Markus Hotz to use the car during the 2009 Le Mans Series season, after which the car will also retire and take up residence at the state-of-the-art racing museum that Lienhard is building in Switzerland.

Hotz is looking for primary sponsorship for the 2009 season. Lista Office, a state-of-the-art office furniture company that Lienhard also owns, will take an associate sponsorship position on the team next year.

"The chemistry of the Horag Racing team is incredible," Lienhard noted. "It's an international team with a great deal of spirit. No matter what their nationalities, everyone comes in on the racing weekend and works well together. This is all due to the fine direction we have from Markus Hotz. It is an excellent team that delivers results to all of its sponsors."