Five place grid penalty for Webber

SPA FRANCORCHAMPS, BELGIUM – AUGUST 31: Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing prepares to drive during practice for the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit of Spa Francorchamps on August 31, 2012 in Spa Francorchamps, Belgium. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Mark Webber was handed a five place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change. The gearboxes are meant to last five races and it is second time this season that Webber got a grid penalty due to gearbox change.

Webber is currently second in the world championship, 40 points behind championship leader Fernando Alonso.

The grid penalty means that Webber can start no higher than 6th place even if he qualifies for pole position. The penalty will boost chances of other championship rivals and his teammate Sebastian Vettel, who is third in the championship standings, two points behind Webber.

Here is what Webber had to say at the end of practice sessions:

“It’s a shame because we love Spa and it would be nice to do some more laps, but in the end you can’t really learn much in these conditions. We got some info from FP1, but you can’t race when there’s so much standing water on track and you probably wouldn’t qualify in this, so in the end we just put the car to bed tonight and come back tomorrow.”