Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez were handed grid penalties for next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix after Formula One stewards ruled they were to blame for collisions in Sunday’s race in China.
Webber, who started from the pitlane and then retired when a wheel came off his car following a collision with Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne, was handed a three-place drop from wherever he qualifies.
Mexican rookie Gutierrez, who piled into the back of Adrian Sutil’s Force India, was given a five-place penalty after admitting misjudging his closing speed.
Webber also accepted he had made a mistake, telling the stewards that he had believed Vergne would give him sufficient room to pass rather than sticking to the normal line through the corner.
Photograph: Vladimir Rys/Getty Images
