02/08/2008
NEWS STORY
Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais has been penalised with a five-place grid demotion after Race Stewards adjudged him to having impeded during phase one of today's qualifying session.
The Stewards, having received a report from the Race Director, determined that the Frenchman had breached Article 31.7 of the 2008 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.
This means that Bourdais, who qualified fourteenth, will start the race from nineteenth alongside Adrian Sutil.
Following the incident, which meant Heidfeld missed the cut and didn't make it to phase two - something which could have a profound effect in terms of his future with BMW - the German was seething.
"On my last lap in Q1 I had four cars in my way," he said. "Most of them at least tried to give me room, but it still cost me time. Towards the end of the lap I had one car in front which was on an out lap. He saw me and accelerated. He then overtook Sebastien Bourdais before the last corner, and then Sebastien was right in my way. I was hoping it was so obvious he would be penalised right away and I could still get into Q2."