De la Rosa handed penalty over gearbox change

Singapore: HRT driver Pedro de la Rosa will be handed a five-place penalty on the starting grid for the Singapore Grand Prix after his team performed an unscheduled gearbox change ahead of the final free practice on Saturday.

The 41-year-old finished the Italian Grand Prix in Monza in 18th place two weeks ago but his team discovered a problem with his gearbox and the change does not conform with regulations that state the equipment must be used for five races.

The penalty is likely to put the Spaniard at the back of the grid, compounding a miserable first season with HRT in which his best finish was 17th place at the European Grand Prix in Valencia in June.