Indonesian F2 driver Gelael penalised for felling marshals

Indonesian racer Sean Gelael will start Saturday's Azerbaijan Formula Two feature race from the back of the grid after sending two marshals sprawling to the ground in a bizarre qualifying incident. Gelael, who drives for the Prema team in the Formula One feeder series alongside Mick Schumacher, son of seven times world champion Michael, had stopped on track early in the session.

The driver was being pushed out of the way by the marshals, who were positioned in front of the rear wheels, when he jump-started his car. The marshals escaped unhurt but Gelael was excluded from the rest of the session.

Stewards later gave the 22-year-old permission to start from the back of the grid. Gelael’s incident was one of several strange incidents that characterised the opening day of track action at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Formula One’s first practice was abandoned when George Russell struck a loose manhole cover, destroying the floor of his Williams. The mobile crane truck carrying his car back to the pits then struck the underside of a sponsor hoarding spanning the Baku street track, spilling fluid over the Williams.