Tom Kristensen hints he could return for Daytona 24 Hours

The nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner, who is grand marshal at this weekend's Daytona IMSA SportsCar Championship opener, said that he would not rule out making a one-off return at the US enduro.

"My dad always said, 'never say never' and if I was tempted back, Daytona would be the venue," said the long-time Audi driver, who retired at the end of the 2014 World Endurance Championship.

The comments followed a light-hearted exchange at an official dinner hosted by race sponsor Rolex on Friday evening, during which Chip Ganassi said that he would be happy to provide a car for Kristensen and his former team-mate Allan McNish one day.

He signed a piece of paper that read: "I Chip Ganassi will run a car for Tom and Allan at the Daytona 24 Hours when they are 55."

McNish revealed when he retired one year before Kristensen that he would have considered racing again at Daytona as part of an all-Scottish line-up.

He explained that he would have liked to have done the race together with Ryan Dalziel and Dario Franchitti, but that Franchitti's injury-enforced retirement shortly before his own decision meant that it would probably never happen.

Kristensen stressed that he remained a retired driver and would only come back at Daytona for fun.

"I am determined about the decision I made; I am very firm about that," he said.

Kristensen, who has won the Sebring 12 Hours a record six times, has never raced at Daytona.

He continues to race at historic events and won the St Mary's Trophy at last year's Goodwood Revival.