Penalty leaves Schumacher 21st

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Michael Schumacher will start the Belgian Grand Prix from 21st place, after his ten-place grid penalty is applied.

It’s Schumacher’s second-worst starting position in Formula 1. He started 22nd in Monaco in 2006 after being sent to the back of the grid for trying to impede drivers in qualifying.

But as he pointed out on Thursday, he won the Belgian Grand Prix from 16th place in 1995.

Schumacher was handed the penalty for “illegitimately impeding” Rubens Barrichello’s attempt to overtake him during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Both Mercedes drivers have grid penalties. Nico Rosberg lost five places due to a gearbox change and will start 15th.

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    20 comments on “Penalty leaves Schumacher 21st”

    1. He started from pitlane in China 2004

      1. His grid position was 20th.

        1. 20th of 20 cars, you cant get worse than starting from the pitlane.

          1. ok Keith, 2006 was probably worse than 2004 because they both were pitlane starts and there were more cars in the race, but i’d say Spa is his 3rd worse since he only starts down in 21st because of a penalty. The amount of cars don’t make a difference since last is last in my book.

            1. Even if there were 40 cars?

    2. Michael can handle it,he is in control,and usually has good starts.

      This is the beginning of his stride – his interviews are becoming more upbeat,there is an aura visible,a more positive difference – when the new car,HIS car will be ready,so will he be ready.

      Congrats to Mark Webber and Lewis.

      1. I agree, This is the first weekend this year where he looks like he used to, he is driving the car, he is pushing it on, he is in control.

    3. Gonna be a long hard day for him then, not much hope unless we get rain!

    4. He was good today in some parts of qualifying but sadly could not get into Q3.

    5. Rosberg is starting in P17.

      1. P16, since he was P12, takes a 5 place penalty, but moves ahead of Schumacher if I’m not mistaken?

        1. I’ve jusyt checked and it is P15 because Timo Glock was penalised for impeding Yamamoto (not like Yamamoto would done significantly better anyway).

    6. I still wouldnt write him off though, I reckon there is every chance he’ll get a grid finish for as long as he keeps his nose clean at the start and avoids the rookies/new teams

    7. shame they had rosberg in front of him in qualy as he was clearly being held up, not for the first time. happened at monaco i think too.

      mercedes need to sort their qualy strategy out. its costing them lots of places.

    8. Mercedes need to mainly sort out their car for next year, and they have to manage track positions better, especially with Schumacher (and not just in qualy – remember that weird SC-pitstop strategy for him in Valencia?).

      1. Not to mention the disaster of Canada, 30 laps on softs.

    9. Any of you guys know what he said on the radio just after he couldn’t improve his time on Q2. I think Rosberg once again had something to do with Schumi not being able to get to Q3. He has improved a lot I think since the last race, maybe the car is handling better, hopefully he will get into the top ten.

    10. I though Schumacher did a good job tiday, Martin Brundle and Jonathan Legard both commented on how well he weavd through the cars when Virgins and Lotuses came together.

    11. Will be a very tough day for him today, even I think he need to give more then the people in the front just to score 1 point.

      1. And he did well enough to get six!

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