Verstappen handed drive-through penalty for bodywork issue

Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen will have to serve a drive-through penalty in the first three laps of Sunday’s Formula 1 Gran Premio d’Italia 2015 after the stewards concluded that his car had been released from the pits in an unsafe condition during qualifying.

Verstappen was forced to sit out the majority of Q1 as his mechanics battled technical problems on his STR10. The Dutchman eventually left the pits with seconds of the segment remaining, but as he exited the first chicane his car dramatically parted company with its engine cover, leaving debris strewn across the race track.

Having considered the evidence, the stewards found this to be a breach of article 23.12(b) of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.

Verstappen is due to start Sunday’s race at Monza in 20th and last place after failing to register a time in Q1. He also picked up a 20-place grid penalty for using additional power unit components.