Pastor Maldonado has been penalised for two separate incidents in the Belgian Grand Prix that will see him drop 10 places on the grid at next weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
The Williams driver had already been penalised during the weekend for blocking Nico Hulkenberg during qualifying and as a result started from sixth place rather than third.
The first penalty from the race was due to a jump-start which saw him catapult away too early. An in-race penalty would have been given but the Venezuelan had a collision with Timo Glock on lap five leading to his retirement before the race start penalty could be awarded.
“The driver failed to finish the race so the usual penalty for a false start could not be imposed,” said an official statement.
Maldonado admitted later that he was at fault for the start because the clutch control slipped out of his hands before the lights went out.
