Bottas takes five-place grid penalty

2016 Australian Grand Prix

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Valtteri Bottas has suffered a setback ahead of the Australian Grand Prix as the Williams driver received a five-place grid penalty following a gearbox change.

Under the rules gearboxes must be used for six consecutive races before they can be replaced. The penalty relegates Bottas to 16th place on the grid and moves Fernando Alonso up to 11th.

However Bottas also escaped censure after his team failed to supply the necessary technical information regarding his gearbox to the FIA. Teams are required to supply complete suspension set-up sheets for their cars before their cars leave the pits during qualifying under article 34.1 of the Sporting Regulations.

The stewards reprimanded Williams for the oversight, noting that “the team made reasonable efforts to provide the sheet but due to a change in team document format failed to provide all required information by the deadline”.

2016 Australian Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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