Formula One news

Grid penalty for Kovalainen

Heikki Kovalainen received a five-place grid penalty from the stewards for blocking Mark Webber in his flying lap during qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Kovalainen qualified himself in sixth position and as Hamilton (3rd) will also move back the Finn will start Sunday's race from 10th position on the grid.

After a number of similar incidents at the start of the season the rules state that Formula 1 drivers will quickly be punished if they block an other driver in any way. In Saturday's third and final qualifying session Kovalainen slightly blocked Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber. The stewards decided to punish the McLaren driver with a grid penalty.

Kovalainen's team mate Lewis Hamilton was given a ten-place grid penalty already for the Canadian pit lane incident. It is going to be a difficult race for the McLaren drivers on Sunday.

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