Sebastian Vettel has been handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Fernando Alonso during Formula 1’s qualifying session in Austria.
Vettel baulked Alonso through the final corner in Q2 at the Red Bull Ring, denying the Alpine driver the opportunity to complete his last timed lap, and leaving him down in 14th spot.
Vettel went on to qualify eighth but will now drop to 11th on the grid.
His sanction promotes Williams’ George Russell, Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz a position apiece.
While Vettel was penalised other drivers who were part of a queue of cars backed up through the final couple of corners were not sanctioned.
Race Director Michael Masi had warned drivers on Saturday morning that drivers backing off through the final two turns, in order to create space, would not be tolerated on safety grounds.
Valtteri Bottas and Sainz were both investigated but no penalty was issued.
Stewards outlined that “many drivers ended up queuing at this part of the circuit” and therefore deemed “too many drivers contributed to the situation and therefore the driver concerned is not fully to blame.”
