Bottas punished for yellow-flag breach ahead of Qatar Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas has been hit with a three-place grid penalty by the Qatar Grand Prix stewards for a breach of F1's yellow-flag rules.

In the closing stages of qualifying on Saturday at the Losail International Circuit, a front-wing failure and puncture caused AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly to crawl through the final corner and onto the main straight.

Yellow flags were briefly shown before they were quickly replaced with double-waved yellows which require a driver to slow and be prepared to stop.

After being investigated for a single-yellow breach, which required Bottas to slow and be prepared to change direction, a stewards' report read: "The driver admitted he did not notice the yellow flag displayed at Flag Point 16.6 and conceded that he did not reduce speed as required in the yellow flag area despite noting that Car 10 was stationary on the pit straight."

After qualifying third, Mercedes driver Bottas will drop to fifth on the grid.

The Finn makes up one place due to Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who had qualified second, receiving a five-place penalty that sees him drop behind Bottas to seventh.

The Finn has also had a penalty point added to his licence and now has a total of five over a 12-month period.

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