Mazepin handed two post-feature race time penalties

Nikita Mazepin has been handed two five-second time penalties following today’s Feature Race in Sakhir, costing him his podium position.

The first five-second penalty came after the Hitech Grand Prix driver was found to have forced Yuki Tsunoda off track and into the pit lane exit during a battle between the pair. Tsunoda had attempted to pass Mazepin, but the Russian moved to the right in an effort to block the Carlin driver and forced him completely off the track.

Tsunoda continued to overtake Mazepin, despite being off track, but will not be penalised himself as the stewards determined that he would have successfully completed the manoeuvre had he not been forced off.

Mazepin was then handed a second five-second penalty for hindering Felipe Drugovich on the pit straight. Drugovich attempted to overtake the Hitech driver down the main straight and Mazepin again moved to the right in an effort to block him. This pushed the Brazilian to the edge of the track before he was forced to slow to avoid a collision.

With the two penalties applied, Mazepin drops to ninth place as Drugovich is promoted onto the podium. Robert Shwartzman, Callum Ilott, Mick Schumacher, Jehan Daruvala and Dan Ticktum also all gain a position. The Briton from DAMS will start from tomorrow’s reverse pole.

Mazepin also loses a place in the Drivers’ Championship, dropping from fourth to fifth behind Shwartzman.