Grid penalty for Vandoorne after power unit changes

McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne will start from the back of the grid for this afternoon’s Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Pirelli 2017 after the team made changes to elements of his Honda power unit.

Vandoorne, who qualified 19th, has been given a new Energy Store (ES) and new Control Electronics (CE). As both are his fifth of the season – exceeding the permitted four – he is penalised five grid places for each.

While the Belgian drops to last on the grid at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso will start seventh for his home race after recording his and McLaren’s best qualifying performance of the season.