Mercedes keeps Daniel Juncadella in its DTM line-up as reserve

The sometime Force India Formula 1 test driver raced for Mercedes in the touring car series from 2013-16 but was left on the sidelines when the DTM manufacturers all cut back from eight to six entries apiece this year.

Juncadella had already secured Mercedes-based GT programmes with ASP in the Blancpain series and Black Falcon in the VLN and will also be on standby for its DTM team at six of this year's nine rounds.

Though Mercedes had previously announced Maximilian Gunther as a DTM reserve, it wants him to focus on his European Formula 3 title bid at the six events where the two series share a bill, so will bring Juncadella in for those meetings.

Mercedes DTM boss Ulrich Fritz said: "As some of the DTM race weekends are colliding with his commitments in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, we want Max to concentrate on his races in Formula 3."

Last year, Mercedes called up reserve driver Felix Rosenqvist into a race seat for the final four DTM rounds, after regular driver Esteban Ocon joined Manor in F1.