Williams` Maldonado gets 10-place grid penalty for Abu Dhabi

Maldonado will lose ten places from his qualifying performance at the Yas Marina Circuit following a gear box failure at Indian GP.

Paris: The struggling Williams` Formula One team suffered a setback Tuesday when its driver Pastor Maldonado was given a 10-place grid penalty for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Nov 11 to 13.

The rule only allows a driver to use eight engines in a season and if an extra one is used, a grid penalty will be imposed. Maldonado will lose ten places from his qualifying performance at the Yas Marina Circuit following a gear box failure in his Williams` during the Indian Grand Prix Sunday, leading to his early retirement from the inaugural race. Williams` have so far scored only five points in 17 races with their last one coming in the Belgian Grand Prix in August. The team`s other driver is Rubens Barichello. IANS