10/07/2004
NEWS STORY
A number of drivers will find themselves further back on the grid than expected tomorrow.
Gianmaria Bruni, Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella and Zsolt Baumgartner all move back ten sports as a result of engine changes, with the Sauber driver opting not to post a time in today's qualifying session.
Later however, Toyota's Olivier Panis also forfeited ten grid places, when race stewards decided that the Frenchman had impeded Felipe Massa on his qualifying lap.
"A mistake in communication from the team meant that I only saw Massa late," said Panis, "but I immediately moved over and offline.
"I am sorry for the Sauber team," he continued, "because it was not intentional and I did all I could not to impede his lap. I am very annoyed at the decision from the stewards."
"The team has to apologise to Olivier for not ensuring that he was fully informed of Massa's position on the track," added Mike Gascoyne, "however he immediately moved offline and having reviewed the evidence in the stewards meeting we were sure that Massa could take the racing line and not be held up in any way. We are therefore very disappointed in the stewards' decision to disallow Olivier's time and we feel that the penalty is both too harsh and undeserved."
"It's unbelievable!" said Massa. "Without that I could have been ninth. It's really not fair."