Red Bull cars excluded from qualifying after stewards ruled that front wings were illegal; Changes mean pitlane start
Monday 24 November 2014 15:29, UK
Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo will start the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the pitlane after their exclusions from qualifying.
Ricciardo and Vettel respectively set the fifth and sixth fastest times during qualifying but were sent to the back of the grid after FIA stewards ruled that the front wings on both cars flexed illegally.
Although insisting they had been 'singled out' by the governing body, Red Bull accepted the punishment and said they would start the race from the back.
However, the front wing/nose assembly on both cars was changed in parc ferme on Saturday and since the new parts have a different specification, Article 34.6 of the Sporting Regulations states that they must start from the pitlane.
Of course, that will make the jobs of both drivers a little harder but Vettel - who is driving his final race for Red Bull on Sunday - can at least take heart from the 2012 race, in which he finished third after also starting from the pitlane.
