Nicholas Latifi will be demoted down the starting grid for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix following his clash with Guanyu Zhou in Singapore.

The pair made contact on Lap 7 in Marina Bay, Zhou squeezed by the Williams driver into the wall on approach to Turn 5.

Damage to the steering on the Alfa Romeo Sauber left the Chinese driver an instant retirement while Latifi limped back to the pits where his race ended due to suspension damage.

Zhou had made his way alongside his Williams rival on approach to the right-hander towards the start of the lap, only for the Canadian to move across and pinch him against the wall.

“I was alongside him and the guy just decided to fully close the door and put me into the wall,” bemoaned Zhou.

“The front-right suspension was broken after that. Bit unfortunate because I feel like the pace was there.

“Of course, we had a little bit easier to start but it’s not ideal because we try to race fair but when you don’t have any room when you’re alongside, it is not racing.”

The Stewards sided with Zhou on the incident.

“The Stewards reviewed the video evidence and determined that LAT was predominantly to blame for the collision,” the decision noted.

“ZHO was attempting to overtake LAT on a straight approaching turn 5 and had sufficient room, taking the normal racing line.

“LAT pulled to the left, not leaving one car width to ZHO and resulting in significant contact between the cars.”

The outcome was a five-place grid drop for the Japanese Grand Prix, and two penalty points on Latifi’s licence, taking his 12-month total to three.