Ricciardo hit with Abu Dhabi grid drop after Magnussen crash

Daniel Ricciardo has been hit with a three-place grid penalty for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following his collision with Kevin Magnussen in São Paulo.

Ricciardo has been judged wholly to blame for the lap-one incident which saw him clip Magnussen's Haas from behind, sending the Dane into a spin from which he then collided with the McLaren that ended up in a barrier.

McLaren attempted to suggest in a post-race stewards' hearing there were mitigating circumstances for the incident only for those to be unequivocally dismissed.

A stewards' statement read: "Ricciardo made contact with Magnussen at turn eight on lap one, which caused Magnussen to spin, and subsequently both cars crashed.

"McLaren explained that in their view Magnussen was slower at the exit of turn eight than the other cars ahead, which made it difficult to judge the closing rate, as the two cars interacted.

"Ricciardo explained that in his view, he had slowed sufficiently that he was not going to collide with Magnussen and that he slightly misjudged it.

"The stewards acknowledged the incident was not reckless.

"However, they determined it was between two cars and was not influenced by multiple other cars and is therefore not a 'first-lap incident'.

"The stewards determined that Magnussen drove in a normal manner for that corner, and that he did not make any erratic moves.

"Thus the Stewards determine that Ricciardo was wholly to blame for the incident and issue a drop of three grid places for the next event."

Ricciardo has also collected two penalty points on his licence, meaning he now has eight for the 12-month period.

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