Three drivers handed penalties for impeding in Brazil qualifying

George Russell, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon all got penalties after qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix for impeding other drivers..

Race director Nils Wittich specifically instructed drivers before the start of the weekend not to slow down or hold up their colleagues in the long pit lane, with the aim of avoiding the incidents from Mexico.

At the start of the first part of qualifying, Russell started out onto the track behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton and slowed down to put space between himself and Lewis, but ended up holding off Pierre Gasly. With this penalty Russell goes from sixth to eighth on the grid.

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In the first part of qualifying, Max Verstappen overtook Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon on the exit of the pits, stepping with his right wheels onto the grass, and the two drove slowly to the track. A little earlier, Yuki Tsunoda went dangerously close to the inner safety wall, also there, to overtake Gasly.

With the penalties Ocon and Gasly go 14th and 15th for the start tomorrow.