Blow for Ferrari as Raikkonen goes from third to eighth on Suzuka grid after gearbox change; Button starts last after engine switch
Sunday 9 October 2016 06:09, UK
Kimi Raikkonen has dropped from third to eighth on the Japanese GP grid after a gearbox change, creating an all-Red Bull second row behind Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren's Jenson Button, meanwhile, drops from 17th to the back of the field after McLaren completed a tactical engine change after their disappointing qualifying session.
The race starts at 6am - live only on Sky Sports F1.
The unscheduled change of Raikkonen's gearbox after qualifying results in a five-place penalty and means both Ferrari drivers have now suffered grid demotions at Suzuka.
Sebastian Vettel qualified fourth but had already been demoted owing to a three-place penalty carried over from Malaysia for his first-corner crash with Rosberg. Raikkonen's penalty means Vettel will now gain one place back and starts sixth, with the Finn down to eighth.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo will therefore start third and fourth respectively, giving the pair a direct chance to challenge the Mercedes' at the start of the race.
Red Bull, who finished one-two last Sunday in Malaysia, must outscore Mercedes by at least 23 points to delay their rivals' expected coronation as 2016 constructors' champions for another race.
Button will now prop up the field after McLaren changed his complete Honda power unit. It means the Briton has now exceeded the penalty-free limit on engine parts for 2016, with a 35-place penalty set to officially be applied.
The flip side of the grid drop is that Button will take on Honda's latest-specification engine which Alonso is running, meaning he will avoid what was scheduled to be an engine penalty for the next race in the United States.
Revised Japanese GP grid
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
5. Sergio Perez, Force India
6. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
7. Romain Grosjean, Haas
8. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
9. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
10. Esteban Gutierrez, Haas
11. Valtteri Bottas, Williams
12. Felipe Massa, Williams
13. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso
14. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso
15. Fernando Alonso, McLaren
16. Jolyon Palmer, Renault
17. Kevin Magnussen, Renault
18. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
19. Felipe Nasr, Sauber
20. Esteban Ocon, Manor
21. Pascal Wehrlein, Manor
22. Jenson Button, McLaren
The F1 title run-in continues with the Japanese GP on Sunday, live only on Sky Sports F1. The race begins at 6am. Watch with a NOW TV day pass - £6.99, no contract
