Mortara, Engel join Mercedes for 2017 DTM season

Edoardo Mortara and Maro Engel will join a trimmed-down Mercedes line-up for the upcoming DTM season.

Mortara moves across after finishing runner-up in the 2016 season with Audi, while Engel, who raced in Mercedes colors between 2008 and 2011, returns after taking a multi-season detour into GT and Formula E.

"I definitely have some unfinished business with the DTM," said Engel, who tested the Mercedes at Jerez late last year (pictured).

"I am very pleased that I've been able to battle my way back into the squad over the past few years and that I now have a chance to prove myself in the coming season. I have fantastic teammates who I've obviously known for a long time. That's why I'm sure I won't have any problems settling in."

Their arrival coincides with the departures of Daniel Juncadella, Christian Vietoris, Maximilian Gotz and Felix Rosenqvist from Mercedes' roster. Gary Paffett, Lucas Auer, Robert Wickens and Paul di Resta have all been retained.

"In 2017, all of us manufacturers will be up against major challenges," said Head of Mercedes-AMG DTM Ulrich Fritz.

"We have a new car, new tires and a reduction in the number of drivers on the grid. The standard of competition is therefore going to be higher than ever before in the DTM. That's precisely why I am glad we have put together such a high-caliber squad. Edo, Lucas, Paul, Gary and Rob have all won DTM races and are well capable of having a say in the destination of the title.

"But therein lies yet another major challenge for the team and the drivers – to succeed this year, we need to function as a homogenous and resolute unit. Added to which, we have Maro who also has a lot of experience and is a title winner in his own right."