Perez hit with grid penalty following FP3 mishap

©RacingPoint

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Sergio Perez will start his Singapore Grand Prix five spots down from where he qualifies this evening as a result of a grid penalty linked to a gearbox change on his Racing Point RP19.

Perez hit the outside wall at Marina Bay's Turn 22 left-hander and while he was able to bring his car back to the pits, despite a broken right rear wheel, his Racing Point crew diagnosed a damaged gearbox.

"After our inspection we found some damage, so we had to change it," said Racing Point sporting director Andy Stevenson, quoted by Motorsport.com.

Toro Rosso's Dany Kvyat also underwent a component change following an oil leak that erupted in FP3.

Ahead of qualifying, the Faenza-based team was hard at work replacing Kvyat's power unit, although the change is penalty-free for the Russian.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.