Davide Valsecchi's chances of holding on to the GP2 Series points lead over the Silverstone weekend have taken a serious knock after he was one of four drivers excluded from qualifying for not having enough fuel in the car at the end of the session.
Valsecchi (who was 12th fastest in the wet session) – together with his DAMS teammate Felipe Nasr (11th fastest), Stefano Coletti (fourth) and Marcus Ericsson (18th) – failed “to satisfy a technical regulation relating to the quantity of fuel available after the session.”
All four will be allowed to start the race from the back of the grid.
Valsecchi had also been found guilty of overtaking rivals during the red flag periods in the free practice session, and together with Giedo van der Garde was handed a 10 place grid penalty. Van der Garde was tenth quickest in qualifying, just ahead of Nasr and Valsecchi.
Seventh-place qualifier Rio Haryanto was already carrying a five-place grid penalty from Valencia.
Valsecchi came in to the Silverstone weekend with just one point in hand over Luiz Razia, who was ninth fastest and should start seventh with Coletti’s exclusion and Haryanto's penalty. Valsecchi picked up two penalties over the course of the Valencia weekend, for impeding others in qualifying and overtaking during a safety car. He finished the weekend having scored no points.
