Formula One news

Alonso loses five places, McLaren any points

Fernando Alonso has been penalised by the FIA for holding up team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the pits during qualifying and will have to start from sixth in tomorrow's race. Moreover the sport's governing body felt that the team played a substantial part too in sabotaging its own driver's last run and will not be allowed to take any points away from the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The FIA ruled that the Spaniard and McLaren's constructors' points potential deserved to be punished for the pit-stop fracas after listening to the radio transmissions and video evidence from McLaren during the incident.

The FIA spent a good few hours evaluating all the evidence and now Lewis Hamilton will be promoted to pole position, for which the 22-year-old was unable to challenge when the hold up prevented him from doing a last final lap. Alonso will now have to start on the third row of the grid alongside Robert Kubica, who starts from seventh. Ralf Schumacher moves up to fifth, Nico Rosberg to fourth, Kimi Raikkonen to third and Nick Heidfeld to second.

McLaren has decided to appeal the decision about being docked points but is unable to do the same for Alonso's grid penalty. The hearing will happen sometime after the race.

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