Kobayashi hit with five-place grid penalty

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Kamui Kobayashi has received a five-place grid penalty ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix for ignoring a red light in the pit lane.

The Sauber driver had been called in by the FIA stewards for scrutaneering at the end of Q1, but drove through the red light and continued towards the team’s garage.

"I am very disappointed. To me the car feels strange…and I don’t have any grip.

So the situation was quite difficult for me anyway, and then the team was over-optimistic sending me out on the harder tyres for my second run in Q1. I believe on the softer compound I would have managed to get at least to Q2.

"I obviously went past a red light in the pit lane and missed going to the FIA scales. I just didn’t see it."
Kamui Kobayashi

Kobayashi will now start from 23rd place on the grid. This means it will be an all Japanese back row for the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix, along with HRT‘s Sakon Yamamoto.

For full details, check out the updated Hungarian Grand Prix grid.

2010 Hungarian Grand Prix

    Browse all 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix articles

    18 comments on “Kobayashi hit with five-place grid penalty”

    1. I get that rules are rules, but somehow they always feel like it pouring when it rains. A bit like with Petrov’s start penalty. I guess now he might be out of the immediate neighborhood of those most likely to hit each other and be out of the race on the 1st lap, if he doesn’t go and drive into the slow starting Yamamoto (taking out the Japanese competition, like with Nakajima last year :)

      1. Wait, he starts before Sakon. Well, that helps. The other new-team people have been used to going for finishing the race, but also know to look in their mirrors during it.

        1. kobayashi isn’t a crasher. he got unlucky earlier this year.

          1. I know, and now the people that used to crash into him are all ahead of him, I guess. But he will want to have a great start to get into that mix during the first lap, and he is a lot faster than the new teams on race day, so it might be tricky in two stages.

            1. In the end he just needs to enjoy the race, The chances of him getting in the points are very slim, so he can enjoy a day racing for the early part at least, against cars he can out perform.

              A pity, but rules are rules, now noting this, lets just hope Ferrari get hit with the rule book as well for their game at Hock….

        2. … and he’s now on the clean side of the grid as well.

    2. Shame, but rules are rules.

    3. Maybe he has no option now but to a go for a long run on the prime tyre and hope for the best like in Valencia!

      1. That would be amazing. But from what Bridgestone tells us going for an extra long stint on the super softs would be better, as they are the faster tyre and hold up pretty well.

        1. not if it’s really hot tomorrow though…

    4. doesn’t really matter i guess :)

    5. How much do I want to see Kobayashi’s onboard all race long!

      1. Unfortunately I doubt we’ll see most of his early overtaking moves at the start, since FOM will be focused on the front runners. I just hope he can avoid crashing into the first corner with so many slower cars around him.

    6. He must be ab-so-lut-ley FURIOUS.

      It’s not that much of an impediment though, Kobayashi is a good passer so he’ll just pick of the back markers with ease.

      (Sorry for the caps, I couldn’t resist quoting Murray)

      1. Murry Walker quotes never get old. ^_^

    7. 5 place grid drop…is that the official penalty for ignoring (intentionally or otherwise) a red light in the pitlane? Seems a bit random.

      1. I believe so, yes.

    8. Not bad 23rd to 9th in the race today !

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