Stewards uphold Perez penalty decision from Canada

Austrian race stewards have upheld Sergio Perez's five-place grid penalty from the last round in Canada after examining "new elements" put forward by his Force India team relating to the Mexican’s last-lap collision with Williams' Felipe Massa in Montreal.

Montreal stewards deemed that Perez had changed his racing line while defending fourth place from Massa on the final run down to Turn 1, causing the impact which pitched both men into the barriers at speed.

However, since Perez had been unable to attend the original hearing in Canada or communicate with his team in the immediate aftermath of the incident - he was in hospital undergoing medical checks - Force India were granted a secondary hearing in Spielberg on Friday afternoon.

In that hearing Perez contended that he had been within his rights to use the whole track to defend his position, but this claim was dismissed by the stewards since that defence had occurred within the braking area, in contravention of regulations.

Force India are not expected to appeal the decision and Perez will thus drop five places on the grid for Sunday’s race in Austria.