Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat has become the first driver in 2014 to be handed a ten-place penalty after being forced to change to his sixth Renault power unit of the season.
The twenty-year-old Russian has been unfortunate with mechanical issues this year on his Toro Rosso and becomes the first driver to exceed the limit of five power units the FIA enforced before the season began.
A statement from the FIA Stewards at Monza highlighted that Kvyat’s engine was his sixth of the season, and as a result was handed the grid-drop penalty.
“The internal combustion engine used by the above driver is the sixth new internal combustion engine for the 2014 championship season and as this is not in conformity with Article 28.4a of the 2014 Formula 1 sporting regulations, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration,” said the FIA race stewards statement.
He will be forced to drop ten places on the grid in Italy, unless he suffers a poor qualifying session, and in this scenario, any places the Russian does not drop at Monza will be carried over to the next race in Singapore.
Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel is close to joining the Russian on his sixth power unit, but will race with his fifth in Monza. The Red Bull team have said that a penalty for Vettel is ‘inevitable’.
