World champion to start from pits instead of 20th on grid after Mercedes make changes to crashed car, including fresh engine; Brazilian GP race starts at 4pm on Sunday live on Sky F1
Thursday 16 November 2017 10:37, UK
Lewis Hamilton will start from the pitlane in Sunday's Brazilian GP after Mercedes made changes to his car after his costly qualifying crash.
The world champion was set to start from 20th and last place on the grid after failing to set a time in Q1, but revealed on Saturday evening that Mercedes had decided to break parc ferme conditions.
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Regulations dictate that cars start from the pitlane if changes are made outside of parc ferme rules once they take to the track in qualifying.
"I think I'm starting from the pitlane so it's not the most exciting, but we can only go forwards from there," Hamilton said.
Mercedes confirmed they were fitting different specific parts to the ones Hamilton used on Saturday, while they had also decided to take the opportunity to install fresh engine components for the season's final two races.
His W08 is being fitted with a fifth engine, MGU-H and turbocharger of the year and while that would normally trigger a 20-place demotion on the grid, no further penalty will be applied owing to his confirmed pitlane start.
Hamilton's hopes of making up immediate ground on the opening lap from last place will be compromised by starting from the end of the pit lane instead of on the grid, but Mercedes have promised to give the Englishman "full beans" to attack with his fresh engine during the race as he bids to maintain his 100 per cent points-finishing record in 2017.
And the world champion himself declared: "I'll give it everything I've got."
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Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly, who had initially qualified 17th, will line up as the last car on the grid in 19th after receiving a 25-place grid penalty for engine component changes.
The Italian team have fitted the Frenchman's car with its eighth and ninth MGU-H of the season, along with a seventh turbocharger.
Gasly's team-mate Brendon Hartley will line up in 18th after being hit with a 10-place drop for the installation of an eighth MGU-H.
Toro Rosso's recent unreliability and subsequent grid penalties had seen a furious row develop between themselves and engine suppliers Renault on Saturday, although Renault advisor Alain Prost and Red Bull chief Helmut Marko sought to defuse the situation ahead of qualifying.
Daniel Ricciardo has also received a 10-place grid demotion after Red Bull also fitted an eighth MGU-H to his RB13 and the Australian will line up in 14th place.
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Sauber confirmed a gearbox change penalty for Marcus Ericsson on Sunday morning, although he still starts two places higher than where he originally qualified.
Williams' Lance Stroll has been hit by a five-place penalty for a gearbox change after grinding to a halt in final practice, although he actually moves forwards from 18th to 16th after Gasly and Hartley's penalties are applied.
