Maldonado handed double grid penalty for Monza

02/09/2012

In a surprise move, the race stewards at Spa have handed Pastor Maldonado two grid penalties for next weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

Although he was not the cause of the first lap crash that saw four drivers eliminated on the spot, including title contenders Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, he had clearly jumped the start.

In the ensuing melee the Venezuelan was clouted by Sergio Perez, who has been hit by Hamilton, thereby dropping the Williams driver to the back of the field.

Following the withdrawal of the Safety Car, Maldonado, who had already been hit with a three-place grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in Q1 yesterday, hit Timo Glock at La Source. Ironically however, the Venezuelan came off worst and was subsequently forced to retire.

Hit with a five place penalty for each of the offences, Maldonado will now drop ten places on the grid at Monza - plus any further penalties he picks up before the start of next Sunday's race.

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