Grid penalties for Webber, Gutierrez

Shanghai - Red Bull’s Mark Webber and Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez received grid penalties for next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix after the Formula 1 stewards penalised them for causing collisions in Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix here at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Webber will drop three places for his collision with Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne while Gutierrez will be demoted five places at Sakhir for his crash with Force India’s Adrian Sutil on Lap 4.

Webber, recovering from his pit-lane start, ran into the side of Vergne’s car as he attempted to pass the Frenchman on Lap 15. The Australian was forced to pit with front-wing damage and subsequently retired when the right-rear wheel came off his RB9. Vergne went on to finish 12th.

On the other hand, Gutierrez ran into the back of Sutil at Turn 14 on Lap 5. The Mexican rookie was out on the spot, the impact having ripped the front-right wheel from his C32. He subsequently admitted he had misjudged his closing speed on Sutil, who was able to limp back to the pits with heavy damage to the rear of his car, before being forced to retire following a small exhaust fire on the VJM06.