F1 News: Pierre Gasly Foiled By FIA With Multiple Penalties For Spanish Grand Prix

Pierre Gasly has had his grid position moved back by six places for the Spanish Grand Prix tomorrow.

Pierre Gasly has been handed two three-place grid penalties for the Spanish Grand Prix tomorrow. 

The French driver was found to have impeded the flying laps of both Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen during the dramatic qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix earlier today. Gasly was summoned to the stewards for further investigation following the session and has now been confirmed to have been given the six-place penalty. 

Before the penalty, Gasly had qualified in fourth position for the race in Barcelona, however he will now start from tenth on the grid. This penalty pushes Lewis Hamilton up to start on the second row in fourth alongside Lando Norris who is starting from third, as well as his teammate Esteban Ocon from seventh to sixth.

BREAKING: Pierre Gasly has been given a six-place grid penalty for impeding Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz during qualifying#SpanishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/JevJJhVbs8

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 3, 2023

Speaking about the situation after the qualifying session, the Alpine driver explained:

“At the time I tried to do the best I could with the information I had.

“There obviously are rules, anything that happened wasn’t intentional and as I say I tried the best with the information I had.”

The note from the Stewards following the decision confirmed that the Alpine team had not given Gasly enough warning to know that the other drivers were on flying laps and to get out of the racing line, leading to the two separate three-place grid penalties. The note read:

“The team failed to give appropriate warning to the driver of Car 10 (Gasly), of the approach of Car 1 (Verstappen), having told him that cars behind were on a slow lap.”

So, Gasly will start from tenth on the grid with his teammate, who managed to secure his first podium finish in Monaco last weekend, Esteban Ocon will start from sixth.