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Holden Racing Team (HRT) driver Mark Skaife has admitted owning the team up until this week certainly had an impact on his driving, but if he could go back in the past he would do it all again.

Skaife today said he gave his 50 per cent of HRT to Tom Walkinshaw, who already owns the other half, this week in a debt-for-equity deal.

“My personal driving aspects in terms of me retiring from racing hasn’t got anything to do with the business things,” he said in relation to the deal, which has been going on for some time.

“(But) I’ll have to say running the team and having, you know, whatever financial pressures are or pressures of running the business, whatever those things are, if you’re not just a hired gun to come along there are those things occupying brain space.

“There’s no doubt that has an impact.”

Skaife likened his position to giving former Collingwood Football Club captain Nathan Buckley the coach and president roles.

“You couldn’t say to Nathan Buckley for instance can you go and do those other two roles and everything will be ok,” he said.

“You can’t do that.

“Just the workload and the professional aspects of modern sport and business…it just doesn’t work.

“For me those things had impacted on my pure racing ability but it’s more about when I’m in the car and whether I’m really enjoying it at it’s purest moment and I’m not.

“I know that I’m not quite there…”

Skaife believed he was not up to the standard of race level.

“You have to understand I’ve only ever wanted to do it and be the best at it,” he said.

“If I’m not, and I’ve always said, that I would hand the reins over and although that’s a hard thing to accept, it’s something I have done.

Skaife has contacted V8 Supercars Australia (VESA) regarding Walkinshaw taking over the business fulltime, which is subject to VESA approval.

“I see no reason why there would be any problem with it really, because Tom and I have been partners in business (for the last year),” he said.

“And for him to be involved in it, it hasn’t been a problem under that scenario so I see no problem in extending that.

“That’s my personal view but it will be up to the rule makers to make that decision.”

Skaife believes the sale may be up for review at a VESA board meeting on Monday.