Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr will receive a two-place grid penalty for the second Formula Renault 3.5 Series race at Moscow Raceway after stewards found him guilty of causing the clash with Oliver Rowland that saw the Briton crash out on lap seven of race one.
Both drivers were trying to make their way through the field after stalling on the grid before the start, both having had to start the race from the pit lane as a result. Fortec Motorsports driver Rowland was obviously quicker; with the whole DAMS team appearing to be well off the pace the team have shown in previous races in 2014.
Replays at the time appeared to be inconclusive, but the stewards have decided Sainz was at fault for the incident and handed out the penalty.
Despite a lacklustre opening race in Russia where he finished down fourteenth position, Sainz continues to lead the championship by a commanding 43 points, after his closest rival Pierre Gasly of Arden Motorsport also stalled on the grid at the start. Rowland’s Fortec team-mate Sergey Sirotkin had earlier took his maiden win of his Formula Renault 3.5 Series career in his home race.
