F1 Japanese Grand Prix Update: Hamilton penalized

The 2010 F1 Japanese Grand Prix took another twist, as McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was penalized with a five-place drop on the grid as team McLaren was forced to change the gearbox on their F1 car due oil pressure problem.


Hamilton, 25-year-old 2008 F1 World Champion, had encountered several problems in Suzuka. He crashed his car during practice last Friday. He was idled for the majority of Saturday's session as the team McLaren tried heavily to fix his damaged MP4-25 machine.

The McLaren driver is among the 22 drivers who was not able to set a timed lap during Saturday's practice session. Qualifying session was postponed to Sunday due to bad weather. The 5.8km Suzuka circuit is one of the most difficult place for F1 drivers.

Hamilton is currently in third place in the championship standings with four races left. The 2008 F1 World champion is 20 points behind Red Bull's Mark Webber. Three of the last four races were a disappointment for Hamilton, as he was forced to retire due to accident damage in Italy and Singapore.