Photo: DTM Media

Auer, Mortara and Spengler excluded following pit lane incidents

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Mercedes AMG drivers Lucas Auer and Edoardo Mortara as well as BMW Motorsport’s Bruno Spengler have been excluded from the second DTM race at the Hungaroring due to their involvement in the pit lane incidents that saw the race red-flagged after just seven laps.

Rain had started falling over the track on lap four, getting heavier quickly. Auer came into the pits, unable to brake safely into his pit spot due to the lack of grip and hitting the garage wall, running over two marshals and a fireman.

Mortara pitted a lap later, suffering the same problem and hit the Mercedes pit equipment. Spengler also had the same issue, also hitting his mechanics with one of them suffering a bruised foot.

Auer was found to be in violation of article 30.9 of the sporting regulations, which oblige a driver to reduce the speed as it’s necessary to stop safely within his pit area and has been excluded from ninth place.

Mortara and Spengler were found in violation of the same rule, with an additional infraction of the article 31, obliging drivers to observe the signalling and follow the instructions given, as yellow flags were waving in the pit lane when both came in for their pit stops due to the presence of the ambulance to assist those injured by Auer. The stewards noted that both drivers had also been warned by their respective teams about the situation through the radio.

Consequently, both Mortara and Spengler have not only been excluded from tenth and seventh in the race respectively, but have been also given a 10-place grid drop penalty for the next race, suspended for a probationary period of two events.

The next classified drivers have moved up accordingly, with BMW’s Augusto Farfus taking seventh place and Audi’s Robin Frijns, Loïc Duval and René Rast taking the last point scoring positions.

Two marshals and a fireman were injured in the incidents, with one of the marshals needing surgery in his lower leg and the other two having fractures. All three will stay at hospital overnight.