Spaniard Carlos Sainz was handed a grid penalty for a qualifying infringement on Saturday, leaving him in the 20th starting position at Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.
The four-time Formula One Grand Prix winner was involved in the design of the new Madring, which will host the race.
The Williams racer was found to have impeded Valtteri Bottas of Cadillac in Turn 7 during the final minutes of Q1.
Sainz originally had qualified at P17.
The stewards reviewing the situation issued the following statement: “The team failed to inform the driver of Car 55 about Car 77 closing in on a flying lap and the driver did not take any action to make way for the incoming car.
“The Stewards determine that Car 55 unnecessarily impeded Car 77.”
Benefitting from the decision will be Fernando Alonso, Sergio Perez and Bottas, who each move up a position.
McLaren’s Lando Norris will be running first, while the rest of the top five in order will be Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
–Field Level Media
