Juncadella returns to DTM, completes Mercedes' line-up

Daniel Juncadella will return to the DTM championship for the 2018 season after one year out, completing Mercedes' six-driver line-up for its final campaign in the series.

Juncadella, 26, raced for Mercedes in the DTM between 2013 and 2016 before being shifted to more of its GT interests last year, spending the majority of his year racing in the Blancpain GT Series.

The Spaniard will now return to Mercedes' DTM line-up for the German marque's final season in the championship before its withdrawal as it ramps up planning for its Formula E entry in 2019.

"It feels great to be back racing in the DTM this year. I’m really keen to get back in the car after a one-year break from competition in the DTM," Juncadella said.

"I gained further racing practice last year thanks to race outings in a number of GT series and my role as test and reserve driver. I’ve remained very close to the team throughout the season and so, am familiar with the new generation of cars and the DTM rule changes. I’m pleased that at last, I can now contest DTM races again.

"I never really brought things to a satisfactory conclusion in the DTM and always had the feeling that my results never reflected my true ability. I now intend to put that right."

Juncadella will race alongside Gary Paffett, Paul di Resta, Pascal Wehrlein, Edoardo Mortara and Lucas Auer in 2018, with the new DTM season starting at Hockenheim on May 6.