F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Gasly to start from pitlane following engine change

Pierre Gasly will start Sunday's Italian Grand Prix from the pitlane following AlphaTauri's decision to equip the Frenchman's car with a fresh Honda engine and new-spec energy store.

Gasly qualified P6 on Friday and sought to take advantage of Lewis Hamilton's slow start in Saturday's sprint race to move up the order.

But last year's Italian Grand Prix winner, as he negotiated the first chicane, slightly misjudged his gap to McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo, hitting the back of the Aussie's car and damaging his front wing.

However, the wing failed as Gasly entered Curva Grande and lodged itself under the AlphaTauri which in turn sent the AT02 into the gravel trap and in the barriers.

Gasly was expected to line up at the back of the grid following the mishap, but the Italian outfit has taken advantage of the circumstances to fit the Frenchman's car with a fresh engine.

The change by itself would have yielded an inconsequential grid penalty, but the introduction of a different specification energy store imposes a pitlane start.

Gasly's teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, will launch his maiden Italian Grand Prix from fifteenth on the grid.

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Michael Delaney

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