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SAO PAULO, Brazil - McLaren's slim hopes of avoiding the team's worst season's performance suffered a further setback at the 2013 Brazilian F1 GP on Sunday when Sergio Perez was handed a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change.
That dropped him to 19th in his final F1 race with the team and left him with little chance of securing the fourth place or higher that McLaren needed if 2013 were not to be the team's worst season since its first race in 1966.
DAMAGE REVEALED
The Mexican crashed heavily in the second phase of Saturday's rain-delayed qualifying at Interlagos and was 14th on the provisional grid, one place ahead of 2009 champion team mate Jenson Button.
An inspection of the car after the crash revealed gearbox damage.
McLaren failed to finish in the top three at any race in 1980 but had always managed at least fourth. This season Jenson Button and Perez finished no higher than fifth.
That dropped him to 19th in his final F1 race with the team and left him with little chance of securing the fourth place or higher that McLaren needed if 2013 were not to be the team's worst season since its first race in 1966.
DAMAGE REVEALED
The Mexican crashed heavily in the second phase of Saturday's rain-delayed qualifying at Interlagos and was 14th on the provisional grid, one place ahead of 2009 champion team mate Jenson Button.
An inspection of the car after the crash revealed gearbox damage.
McLaren failed to finish in the top three at any race in 1980 but had always managed at least fourth. This season Jenson Button and Perez finished no higher than fifth.