Penalties change Styrian F1 starting grid

The grid for Formula 1 Styrian Grand Prix will feature two changes from the order set by Saturday’s qualifying session.

While Valtteri Bottas headed into the hour-long session knowing he’d drop three places, the same fate has now befallen Yuki Tsunoda.

The Japanese driver was pinged for impeding Bottas during the final stage of the three-part qualifying.

“Car 22 had just completed a fast lap and had communication from the team that he was now on an in lap,” the stewards’ report stated.

“The team did not warn car 22 of the approach of car 77 on a fast lap.

“Car 77 approached Car 22 at the entry to Turn 4.  Car 22 was on the racing line and while he attempted to move off the racing line to the outside he did impede car 77 unnecessarily.

“It is the responsibility of every driver to be aware of faster cars when they are on a slow lap.

“The team should have assisted the driver in being aware of the approaching faster car but such lack of communication is not an excuse for the driver.”

The three-place penalty will see Tsunoda take the race start from 11th instead of eighth while he was also handed a point on his license.

Similarly, Bottas will line up fifth rather than second after his penalty is applied.

Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Sergio Perez are all benefactors of the Finn’s penalty, while Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, and George Russell each move up a spot courtesy of Tsunoda.

The Styrian Grand Prix gets underway at 23:00 AEST this evening.

Formula 1 Styrian Grand Prix starting grid