Albon and Latifi hit with grid penalties after gearbox changes

©RedBull

Alex Albon's Russian Grand Prix just got a bit harder, with the Red Bull driver being pushed back five spots on the grid after a gearbox change.

Albon was set to line up on the fifth row after qualifying P10 on Saturday, a performance that lagged teammate Max Verstappen's run to P2 by over a second.

The gearbox change - conducted before the element had reached its six-race limit - therefore implies a 15th-place start for Albon, hitting the British-Thai's already difficult prospects.

Over at Williams, a post-qualifying inspection of Latifi's transmission revealed an issue that also required the component's change, the Canadian losing a spot to start his race P20.

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.