Belgian F1 GP: Romain Grosjean handed penalty for gearbox change

By Lawrence Barretto

Saturday, August 22nd 2015, 13:02 GMT

Lotus Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean has been given a five-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix following a gearbox change.

Grosjean stopped out on track just before the chequered flag of second practice on Friday, citing a loss of power.

Damage to the gearbox at the shutdown forced Lotus to change the unit on Saturday.

He went on to reach Q3 in qualifying and set the fourth-fastest time, meaning he will still start in the top 10 even with the penalty applied.

It is the second time Grosjean has had to serve a penalty for changing his gearbox this season, the first coming in May's Monaco Grand Prix.

On Friday, Grosjean received his first reprimand of the season when he was deemed to have driven unnecessarily slowly into the Bus Stop chicane during second practice.

The stewards said he did not pay attention to the rapid approach of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg from behind.