Grid penalty for Giovinazzi after gearbox change

Antonio Giovinazzi will start at the back of the grid for the Styrian Grand Prix, the Italian slapped with a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.

Italian Giovinazzi made light contact with the turn-nine barriers during the first qualifying session on Saturday, a session he failed to escape from, and the Alfa Romeo team has elected to take a grid penalty for replacing the potentially damaged gearbox.

With Giovinzzai having qualified 19th of the 20 runners, the penalty will have a minimal effect on his race.

Speaking after qualifying, Giovinazzi said, “It’s been a difficult session, even though at the beginning of the session we were really strong.

"We needed something special on the final lap, I tried to push as much as I could to get the position but unfortunately I went onto the kerb at the second last corner, lost the rear a little bit and that was it.

"It’s a shame as I was improving my time by nearly a second and I think I would have made it to Q2."

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