Perez handed three-place grid penalty, starts P6

MELBOURNE, Australia — Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has dropped from third to sixth on the Australian Grand Prix grid after being penalised for impeding Nico Hulkenberg during qualifying.

Hulkenberg encountered Perez’s slow-moving Red Bull in Turn 13 during one of his hot laps in the opening session of qualifying and failed to make the cut for Q2.

Perez advanced to Q3 and set the third fastest time, 0.359s off his teammate Max Verstappen on pole position.

The three-place grid drop will see Lando Norris move up to third on the grid, Charles Leclerc move up to fourth and Oscar Piastri start fifth.

The Australian Grand Prix stewards said Perez’s Red Bull team had not given him sufficient warning of Hulkenberg’s presence on the track behind him.

“Hulkenberg was on a fast lap when he approached Turn 13,” the stewards said. “Perez, who was on an outlap was at the apex of the turn and Hulkenberg had to leave the racing line to drive around him. Hulkenberg was forced to lift the throttle early and brake early for that corner.

“In reviewing the audio from Perez’ car, the stewards observed that the team was focused on the car in front of Perez that had just slowed, and did not give Perez a warning that Hulkenberg was behind him until one second before Hulkenberg arrived, and significantly too late to avoid impeding Hulkenberg.

“While the stewards appreciate the dynamic situation facing the team and driver during the Q1 session, which was described in the hearing, the stewards find that Perez ‘unnecessarily impeded’ Hulkenberg and issue a three grid place drop, consistent with previous cases.”