David Coulthard 2011 DTM Mucke Mercedes Nurburgring

David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher have both been given suspended grid penalties after colliding during the Nurburgring DTM race.

HWA Mercedes driver Schumacher pushed Coulthard off the track at Turn 1 on the second lap, and the pair then collided at the following corner as Coulthard attempted to retake the position. The second contact forced Schumacher into a spin and retirement.

After reviewing video evidence, race stewards decided that both drivers had been at fault and contravened article 30 of the DTM Sporting Code and gave each driver a three-place grid penalty, suspended for one race.

Coulthard said: "It's the first time I can ever remember being given a penalty by stewards in more than 20 years of racing.

"I was so far off the line at the exit of Turn 1 – I hadn't been that far off all weekend – so I had no idea where the grip was. It's just unfortunate that this happened, because I damaged my car and the good pace we had this weekend was for nothing."

Schumacher added: "I braked a bit too late perhaps and made contact with him. It was a fair fight; we both wanted to maintain position. As fellow Mercedes drivers, we did everything we could, though, and gave no quarter, but it's no big deal, in a close-run race, these things happen."