Grid penalties for Kobayashi, Vergne

June 24, 2012|Reuters

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi and Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne were handed grid penalties for next month's British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone after causing collisions on Sunday.

Japanese Kobayashi was given a five-place penalty for tangling with Ferrari's Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix in Valencia won by the Brazilian's Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso.

French rookie Vergne will take a 10-place demotion on the starting grid at the next race and was also fined 25,000 euros ($31,300) for banging into the Caterham of Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen.

Both cars suffered punctures in that incident, with Vergne nursing the Toro Rosso back to the pits with the damaged rear tyre flailing around and spreading debris across the track.

The safety car then had to be deployed to enable marshals to clear the track.

(Writing by Alan Baldwin, editing by Alison Wildey)