Four drivers including Charles Leclerc hit with Abu Dhabi penalties
Blow for Ferrari's title hopes as Charles Leclerc gets 10-place penalty, writes Lewis Larkam in Abu Dhabi.
Charles Leclerc is among four drivers who have been hit with grid penalties at the F1 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ferrari have confirmed that Leclerc, who qualified in 14th at the Yas Marina circuit, has moved onto a fresh energy store for the season finale.
As this is his third of two allocated units for the year, the Monegasque will serve a 10-place grid drop for Sunday’s grand prix.
He will start from 18th, factoring in the other drivers' grid penalties.
It marks a blow to Ferrari’s hopes of beating McLaren to the constructors’ championship title in Abu Dhabi.
The Italian outfit came into the weekend trailing McLaren by 21 points and looking to overturn the deficit.
The McLaren duo will start from the front row, making Ferrari's task harder.
Williams duo also penalised
The Williams pair of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto have also received grid penalties for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Both drivers have exceeded the allowed number of gearbox components for the season, triggering an automatic five-place grid penalty each.
The Williams drivers will start at the back of the grid.
Haas' Nico Hulkenberg became the fourth driver penalised.
He brilliantly qualified in fourth but was given a three-place grid penalty for overtaking on the pit exit road.
Hulkenberg will start from P7.
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
