Gasly hit with two grid penalties for impeding in Spanish GP qualifying

Pierre Gasly has lost fourth place on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix after receiving two three-place penalties for impeding Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen in separate incidents.

Both Ferrari drivers were approaching Gasly on a timed lap in the final sector in Q1, with the Frenchman moving over for Charles Leclerc before Turn 13 but then accelerating through the penultimate corner in front of Sainz. Although Gasly then moved out of the way again, it came after Sainz had lifted mid-corner and the stewards handed out a three-place grid penalty.

“The driver of Car 10 stated he was aware that the second Ferrari (Car 55) was behind but felt he could do nothing to avoid impeding because of the high-speed delta and closeness of Car 55 to Car 16,” the decision read. “However, it is the view of the stewards that he could have moved further to the right at the exit of Turn 13.”

Later in the same session, Gasly was caught in the way of Verstappen -- this time at Turn 4 -- when he didn’t move off the racing line having not been told that the Red Bull was on a timed lap.

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

The two penalties demote Gasly from fourth to 10th on the grid and promote Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso and Oscar Piastri in turn. There are no penalty points associated with the punishment, with Gasly still holding eight on his license for the 12-month period, with the limit of 12 automatically triggering a one-race ban.