Grid penalty for Webber

21/07/2012

A gearbox change for Mark Webber will see the Australian take a five place grid penalty after this afternoon’s qualifying session.

Red Bull worked late into the night swapping the gearbox, using one of four permitted exceptions to the teams curfew rules.

Earlier the team had told Pitpass that mechanics had worked late “completing some checks” on Webber’s gearbox, refusing to confirm whether it meant the Australian would take a penalty.

The FIA has now confirmed that Webber will indeed take a grid drop, acknowledging that as the gearbox had not been used for the five previous events the change was in contravention of Article 28.6a of the Sporting Regulations.

Webber is the third driver to receive a penalty for a gearbox change this weekend, with Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean also carrying penalties after problems at the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.