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Carlos Sainz demoted to pit lane for start of the Monaco GP

Toro Rosso rookie had qualified eighth but penalised for running red light for the weighbridge; McLaren's Jenson Button to now start 10th

Carlos Sainz
Image: Carlos Sainz: Facing a long road back from the pitlane

Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz will start from the pit lane in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix after being penalised for failing to stop for the weighbridge during qualifying.

The Spanish rookie had impressed all weekend on his F1 debut in the principality and qualified as his team’s lead car in eighth place, two places ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen.

However, Sainz’s grid slot was always in jeopardy after he was put under investigation for failing to make the mandatory stop at the weighbridge in Q1.

After examing the evidence after qualifying, the stewards decided an offence had duly been committed and imposed a costly pit lane start on the 20-year-old.

‘The driver failed to stop for weighing during Q1 when signalled to do so by the red traffic light, the car was not returned to the FIA garage and work was undertaken,’ a stewards’ statement read.

‘In accordance with Article 26.1(iv) of the FIA Sporting regulations the driver is required to start from the pit lane.’

The punishment means the 12 drivers who had qualified behind him on the grid all move up one position in the order. McLaren’s Jenson Button is therefore promoted into the top 10 for the first time this season, as although the Briton qualified 12th he was already set to start 11th following the previously confirmed gearbox penalty for Lotus’s Romain Grosjean.

More from Monaco Gp 2015

As things stand, Fernando Alonso also moves up two positions on the grid to 13th in the second McLaren after his car broke down in Q2.

The revised Monaco GP grid

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

5. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull

6. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

7. Sergio Perez, Force India

8. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus

9. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso

10. Jenson Button, McLaren

11. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India

12. Felipe Massa, Williams

13. Fernando Alonso, McLaren

14. Felipe Nasr, Sauber

15. Romain Grosjean, Lotus (Five-place penalty)

16. Valtteri Bottas, Williams

17. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber

18. Will Stevens, Manor

19. Roberto Merhi, Manor

20. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso (Pitlane start)

Don’t miss Sky Sports F1’s exclusively live coverage of the 2015 Monaco GP. The race begins at 1pm on Sunday, with build-up underway from 11.30am. No Sky Sports? No problem! Watch the Monaco GP for £6.99 with NOW TV

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