Webber penalised in Germany
2012-07-21 14:05
TOUGH RACE AHEAD: Webber, winner in Silverstone, will have to qualify on pole if he hopes to win the German GP with a five place penalty.
HOCKENHEIM, Germany - Mark Webber, currently second in the Formula 1 world championship, has been penalised five starting places for the German Grand Prix after Red Bull broke the rules on gearbox changes.
An FIA technical statement read: "(Webber) did finish the last race in Silverstone and this change was before the five consecutive events expired. Therefore this does not comply with... the F1 sporting regulations."
Penalties are applied automatically in such circumstances.
Webber won the previous race, the British GP at Silverstone, and is 13 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso.
Nico Rosberg of Mercedes and Romain Grosjean of Lotus will also have five-place penalties after making unscheduled gearbox changes.
The penalties are good news for McLaren, which needs to perform well at Hockenheim to stay in contention this season.