By: Mercedes-AMG DTM
September 26 2016

Budapest, Hungary - Sense of achievement to mark the end of the penultimate race weekend of the 2016 DTM season as Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) takes his first podium in the DTM in front of 39,500 spectators (over the weekend). The Spaniard improved from eleventh on the grid to third place in an action-packed opening lap. He held this position to the finish over the entire race distance. Until Budapest, two fourth places at the Norisring in 2013 and at the Lausitzring in 2014 were his best finishes to date in the DTM.

Robert Wickens (SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) finished the race in twelfth place after charging up from the rear of the field. DTM rookie Felix Rosenqvist (FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) crossed the finish line just behind him in 13th place.

Paul Di Resta (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM), Christian Vietoris (BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM), Lucas Auer (BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM), Gary Paffett (EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) and Maximilian Götz (Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM) booked positions 15 to 19 respectively.

The next race weekend: From Budapest, the DTM will head to Hockenheim for the season finale in three weeks' time. The last two rounds of the season and a home fixture for Mercedes-AMG will be staged at the Hockenheimring from 14th to 16th of October.

Comments after the Race  

Daniel Juncadella (25, Spain):
P3
Car number: 12
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"My first podium in the DTM - that was certainly the most beautiful race of my career so far. I never really expected it, because up until the second race, it did not look like it was going to happen this weekend. But I made another mega start. I've been doing really well with my starts for quite a few races. I was up there in third place after the very first lap. Incredible! Overall, it was a very emotional race for me. Given the circumstances, I just couldn't believe that I was in third place. But my car was perfect. My thanks go to the guys. This podium belongs to them too."  

Robert Wickens (27, Canada):
P12
Car number: 6
Team: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: SILBERPFEIL Energy Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"I never thought today would turn out like it did, never in a million years. I got the wrong slot on the grid. I just made a stupid mistake which I didn't notice and so, had to line up last but still at least managed to fight my way up into P12. That would have been a decent performance in Budapest under normal circumstances, but today, I threw away any mathematical chance I had of lifting the title by making one stupid mistake. That really racks me off big style."  

Felix Rosenqvist (24, Sweden):
P13
Car number: 88
Team: EURONICS / FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"Starting from so far back, I didn't hold out any great hopes. In the circumstances, it was almost like a test race for us. Unfortunately, my car was slightly damaged after qualifying, so it was all the more important that we succeeded in showing our pace again in the race. The car was fine and felt good, which enabled me to work my way forward from P24 to P13. That was a decent performance. Congratulations to Dani on his first DTM podium. He's really deserved that in his fourth DTM year, and I'm delighted for him."  

Paul Di Resta (30, Scotland):
P15
Car number: 3
Team: Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"A relatively uneventful race for me. I spent all of it driving behind Paul and was unable to make any progress through the field. Just typical of the Hungaroring. Now I have to focus my attention on the final weekend at Hockenheim."  

Lucas Auer (22, Austria):
P17
Car number: 22
Team: BWT Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team Mücke)
Car: BWT Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"That was a tough day and a tough weekend. We lost our way, unfortunately. Today's race actually went quite well, but I was stuck in traffic the whole time. You just can't really improve much when you start from so far behind. I'm now looking forward to Hockenheim."  

Gary Paffett (35, England):
P18
Car number: 2
Team: EURONICS / FREE MEN'S WORLD Mercedes-AMG
(Mercedes-AMG DTM Team ART)
Car: EURONICS Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"Whenever you line up so far down the grid, it always means plenty of hard work in the race. I made an excellent start and moved up a few positions in the first turn. I was subsequently forced well over to the outside in Turn 2 and lost the places I'd won as a result. That was very unfortunate. The car felt okay today, but we were simply too far behind at the start to be able to do more."  

Maximilian Götz (30, Germany):
P19
Car number: 84
Team: Mercedes-AMG (Mercedes-AMG DTM Team HWA)
Car: Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM

"That was a disappointing weekend for me. It got off to a poor start in free practice when we were really struggling. Apart from today's race pace, I've been extremely disappointed with the whole weekend. Today, the race pace was good, and that puts me in a positive frame of mind for the finale to the season at Hockenheim. But overall, the car has felt very unsteady on the front this weekend. Unfortunately, we never got to grips with the problem. If you then have to start from the back of the grid, there's nothing you can do in the race. However, I'm happy for Dani and congratulate him on his first podium."  

Ulrich Fritz, Head of Mercedes-AMG DTM:

"To start on a positive note, congratulations to Dani on his first DTM podium. He's been close on so many occasions in the past, and now it's finally worked out for him. Apart from that, it's difficult for me to take away much encouragement from this race. I think you can't really say too much about the situation at the start. Obviously, that sort of thing shouldn't happen. It meant that we effectively ruled ourselves out of the drivers' championship today, and that's a real shame."  

Canadians In BOLD