Paul Henman formula1 Japanese Grand Prix – penalties galore!

Japanese Grand Prix – penalties galore!

Hopefully everyone has seen Qualifying because it was quite … errr … interesting! I ended my notes by saying I expect the grid will change before the race, and I was right.

In case you’ve not seen Qualifying yet (why not? what’s wrong with you?) I’ll put the latest news after a cut.

OK, so I said the provisional grid was:SV, JT, LH, AS, RB, NH, JB, KR, HK, SB, NR, FA, RK, TG, JA, GF, KN, RG, VL, MW.
Even at that time we knew VL was going to get a 5 grid spot penalty for a gearbox change (but it’s not reflected above).

As I commented on my previous post, there have been lots of additional penalties:

  • Sutil, Barrichello, Button, and Alonso have been given 5-place grid drops for speeding through yellow flags.
  • Buemi was given a 5-place drop for continuing on to the pitlane with a damaged car and impeding other drivers.
  • Kovalainen and Liuzzi were given 5-place grid drops for gearbox changed.
  • Glock (assuming he’s fit to start) and Webber will start from pitlane after chassis changes.

So I’ll put a star next to those with penalties: SV, JT, LH, AS*, RB*, NH, JB*, KR, HK*, SB*, NR, FA*, RK, TG, JA, GF, KN, RG, VL*, MW.
Oh, and TG will start from the pit lane, assuming he’s declared fit for the race; I’ll mark the pit lane starters with brackets: SV, JT, LH, AS*, RB*, NH, JB*, KR, HK*, SB*, NR, FA*, RK, JA, GF, KN, RG, VL*, (TG), (MW).

It depends on the order in which the FIA apply the penalties, but I think this means the current but still provisional grid now looks like this: SV, JT, LH, NH, KR, NR, RK, AS*, RB*, JA, JB*, HK*, GF, SB*, KN, RG, FA*, VL*, (TG), (MW) … or possibly something completely different!

Fortunately the FIA says it will publish the grid four hours before the race is due to start. It’s obviously going to take them some time to sort out this mess too!

Anyway, the FIA have also published the race weights; the weights of those who took part in Q3 are below, in the order in which they posted times in that final Qualifying session:

  1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 658.5kg
  2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 655.5
  3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 656
  4. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 650 = lightest
  5. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 660.5
  6. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 660
  7. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 658.5
  8. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 661
  9. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 675 = heaviest
  10. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 665.4

2 thoughts on “Japanese Grand Prix – penalties galore!”

  1. Official update from FIA: starting grid is SV, JT, LH, NH, KR, RB, NR, AS, RK, JB, HK, JA, SB, GF, KN, FA, RG, VL, MW; TG is not racing following his accident if qualifying.

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