Japanese GP: Bottas, Raikkonen, Alonso, Sainz and Palmer take grid penalties
Written by News on 07/10/2017
Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas have joined the long list of drivers taking a grid penalty for the Japanese GP.
Alonso has received a 35-place grid penalty and is set to start Sunday’s race, underway at 6am, from last after McLaren-Honda made more engine component changes.
McLaren broke the overnight curfew to perform a complete engine change after discovering a hydraulic leak following Friday practice at Suzuka.
Alonso has received his eighth internal combustion engine (ICE), 10th turbocharger and MGU-H, eighth MGU-K, seventh energy store and sixth control electronics.
Each car is only allowed four of each component through the season before facing a penalty.
Both Bottas and Raikkonen will also be relegated five places for unscheduled gearbox changes.
The change on Bottas’ Mercedes was made on Friday night but the unit switch on Raikkonen’s Ferrari was forced upon the team after the Finn’s crash in Practice Three.
Jolyon Palmer has also received a 20-place grid penalty for component changes. Renault added a fifth ICE, sixth turbocharger and sixth MGU-H ahead of Practice Three.
Sainz, who crashed heavily during Friday practice, will take a 20-place drop for a raft of engine-related component changes.
Three drivers have now received penalties for engine changes this weekend after Carlos Sainz got a 20-place drop on Friday.
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(c) Sky News 2017: Japanese GP: Bottas, Raikkonen, Alonso, Sainz and Palmer take grid penalties
