Lewis Hamilton suffers five place grid penalty in China
- Paul Nicholson (@magpie5uk)
- Apr 14, 2016
- 2 min read
Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will be hit with a five place grid penalty in Shanghai on Sunday after Mercedes confirmed that a new Gearbox had been installed.
The existing gearbox was damaged during the first lap collision with Valteri Bottas during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Mercedes confirming the gearbox change on Twitter said: "The gearbox of [Hamilton's] F1 W07 Hybrid sustained damage in Bahrain which required a physical inspection for full assessment.
"Having done so, the decision has been taken to change the gearbox rather than carry any risk moving forwards. Of the next 4 tracks in the normal cycle, Shanghai is the best place to make the change and take the resulting grid penalty."
Hamilton, who has endured a difficult start to the season, already trails his Mercedes teammate, Nico Rosberg by 17 points, the German driver having won both of the opening two races.
The Silver Arrows team will hope that the five place penalty will be overcome due to the overtaking opportunities that exist at the Chinese track.
While this may well help Hamilton drive through the majority of the field, it will certainly hinder the prospects of him overhauling Rosberg and picking up a much-needed victory.
The Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel - who will have the bit between his teeth after retiring from the Bahrain race on the parade lap - and Kimi Räikkönen will scent a pair of podium finishes for both drivers, however, and will not make the Briton's life any easier on Sunday.
The Mercedes team have no doubt that Hamilton can overcome the penalty, as they tweeted their support: "To clarify, it'll be a five place grid penalty for @LewisHamilton. If there's anyone who can fight back, though, it's #LH44 [Lewis Hamilton]!
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