Mercedes’Bottas set for gearbox penalty in Japan


FILE PHOTO - Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2017 - Suzuka Circuit, Japan - October 5, 2017. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas attends a news conference. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

SUZUKA, Japan, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Valtteri Bottas is set to drop five places on the grid for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix as the result of an unscheduled gearbox change on his Mercedes.

Rules say a driver has to use one gearbox for six straight races. He can take on a fresh gearbox without a penalty if he fails to finish the previous race but Bottas crossed the line fifth last weekend in Malaysia.

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