Auto News 5

Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado has received a grid penality for having blocked a rival during the qualifying session of the Grand Prix of Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps.

Maldonado, driving a Williams-Renault, qualified a solid third place but has been handed a three-place grid penalty by the Belgian stewards for blocking.

After reviewing evidence, the stewards decided the Williams driver had impeded the Force India of Nico Hulkenberg in Q1. Maldonado will now start Sunday's race from sixth on the grid.

He is the third driver to receive a grid penalty this weekend. Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber and Mercedes AMG's Nico Rosberg will both drop five places after their cars underwent unscheduled gearbox changes.

Revised starting grid:

1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
2 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari
3 Kimi Räikkönen Lotus-Renault
4 Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
6 Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault
7 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
8 Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault
9 Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes
10 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing-Renault
11 Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes
12 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing-Renault
13 Michael Schumacher Mercedes
14 Felipe Massa Ferrari
15 Jean-Eric Vergne STR-Ferrari
16 Daniel Ricciardo STR-Ferrari
17 Bruno Senna Williams-Renault
18 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault
19 Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault
20 Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth
21 Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth
22 Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth
23 Nico Rosberg Mercedes
24 Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth