16/11/2013
NEWS STORY
Esteban Gutierrez has been handed a ten-place grid penalty for tomorrow's United States Grand Prix.
The Mexican, who had qualified tenth, was adjudged to have impeded Pastor Maldonado as he left the pits during Q1, subsequently weaving across the track in order to generate heat into his tyres thereby causing the Williams driver to have to take avoiding action.
"Car No 12 (Gutierrez) unnecessarily impeded Car No 16 (Maldonado) between Turns 19 and 20 whilst performing manoeuvres that the stewards consider dangerous," read the official statement. "An incident as defined by Article 16.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations."
Gutierrez is one of two Mexicans on the 2013 grid, his countryman, Sergio Perez, having also qualified in the top ten, much to the delight of thousands of partisan fans in the crowd.
In separate incidents, one involving Maldonado the other involving Adrian Sutil, Max Chilton was handed a drive-through penalty which he must serve during the first five laps of tomorrow's race.
The Marussia driver impeded Maldonado between Turns 19 and 20 at 12:15 and Sutil between Turns 19 and 20 at 12:19, a breach of Article 16.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.
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