Lewis Hamilton has been excluded from qualifying in Spain and put to the back of the grid.
Pastor Maldonado and Fernando Alonso thus start on the front row.
Drivers are obliged to get back to the pits after the end of qualifying, but Hamilton had stopped after Turn 8.
The team argued that it was force majeure after it a mechanic had not put enough fuel in the car in the pits prior to the last run, which is why they were forced to ask Lewis to stop to save fuel.
He had 1.3 litres of fuel in the car which rivals insist was not enough to get back to the pits and provide a sample.
Martin Whitmarsh explained earlier: “It was a technical problem that happened in the garage that didn’t impede the performance of the car in any way. We stopped the car when it had 1.3 litres of fuel left in the car.”
The stewards rejected the force majeure excuse, saying that the amount of fuel in the car was under the complete control of the competitor.
The team was deemed to have breached article 6.6.2 of the technical regulations.
Adam Cooper F1 
I would have expected the time to be deleted and the earlier lap to apply or at worst the Q2 time. I suspect this harsher penalty reflects the teams efforts to claim ‘force majeure’ and say that the fuel in the car was enough. If it was a genuine fueling error, maybe they should have come back to the pits and put their hands up to having a tiny fuel sample less than the required 1 litre.
Call me sceptical but wonder if it had been Ferrari whether they would have been put to the back of the grid?!
Yes. Monaco 2006, stewards presumed Schumacher action’s were deliberate. This penalty is for ‘Foul Play’. It can be either from team or driver but it is driver who has to face the bullet.
Pain in Spain. First pole for Williams since when? 2005 Nurburgring or wot?
For sure, Pastor will be swallowed by Alonsó and Kim. Looking forward to the start, you know. Ready to have a shocker, aye?
HAM is suffering, or has been, from the Villeneuve syndrome, Jacques that is. Novocaine for the McLaren.
Williams got pole with Hulkenburg at Brazil in 2010 i think.
Shame for Lewis but big mistake by the team.
Yeah, sorry! I forgot, indeed. Too much heat where I am today, too much Coke and Red Bull. Outta brain.
Hulk is the future world champ, as an element of Sahara Force India told me. Sorry, Hulk. We is knows you’re seriously good.
Real shame for Lewis 6/10ths ahead it isn’t as if it affected the grid positions very much. Hopefully for his sake McLaren will get round to sorting out the problems that have plagued his season so far. On the other hand – bar Alonso who to be fair hasn’t looked competitive this season – it’s good to see the front few spots on the grid filled with drivers yet to win their maiden GP this season or at all!
hamilton, tragedy – won’t be watching anymore – a farce.