Auer, Mortara and Spengler excluded for Hungaroring pit incidents

Three pitlane marshals were airlifted to hospital with leg injuries after Auer, who had qualified on pole, was unable to stop entering his pitbox and slithered into them.

One lap later, fellow Mercedes driver Mortara knocked over his pit gantry, while BMW man Spengler collided with one of his mechanics, albeit without causing injury.

The race was duly red-flagged, although all three continued and finished in the points, with Spengler seventh, Auer ninth and Mortara 10th.

However, all three drivers have been disqualified after a stewards ruling determined that the accidents had been an infringement of article 30.9 of the sporting regulations, which states: "The driver must reduce speed as soon as he joins the deceleration zone so that he can stop his car at the pits without endangering other participants or the marshals."

BMW driver Augusto Farfus was promoted to seventh in the amended results, while Audi trio Robin Frijns, Loic Duval and Rene Rast complete the top 10.

Mortara and Spengler also received a ten place grid penalty for the next race they participate in, suspended on probation for two race weekends.

Gary Paffett was among those who criticised the DTM for not red-flagging the race sooner after Auer's incident, calling it "ridiculous".

The 2005 champion also criticised the stewards after the penalties were announced, tweeting: "With the pitlane in the condition it was today it was nearly impossible not to crash.

"I feel very sorry for all my team mates and competitions for the penalties they have received.

"Oh and FYI @DTM you missed another driver that did the same!"

Auer had spoken of his regret after the incident, saying that his "heart wasn't in the race anymore" and called on the DTM to ensure that the incident is not repeated.

"Sure, I still finished, but all I wanted to know was how the two race marshals are doing. I didn't care about anything else.

"There are two different types of surface in the pitlane, and I was already coming in as slowly as possible.

"But I couldn't steer anymore, so I just slid straight ahead into the collision. At that moment, I was only a passenger in the car.

"This kind of thing cannot be allowed to happen again."

Amended result - 26 laps