Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi has been handed a ten-second post-race time penalty for driving too close to the marshals and crane during a Safety Car period.
Giovinazzi – who at one point led the race – was instructed to stay to the right of the crane, but the stewards felt that he drove too close to the incident in what they considered a "potentially seriously dangerous situation".
The Italian finished 18 seconds ahead of 11th placed Romain Grosjean, therefore the time penalty has no impact on Giovinazzi's result and he remains tenth to score a single championship point.
"The Race Director had instructed all cars to stay to the right at the incident at Turn 8, because of the crane and marshals working the crash at that location. There was a double waved yellow before the incident.
"While the Stewards accepted the explanation of the driver that he felt he was going sufficiently slowly, and while he was driving to his SC delta time, he did however end up driving closer to the crane and marshalls than was felt safe by either the marshalls on location or the Race Director. The Stewards concur.
"The driver had been told of the location of the incident and to stay right, but may not have considered that the crane was moving. The Stewards consider this to be a potentially seriously dangerous situation and a risk to the marshals, and order a ten second penalty."
His Alfa Romeo team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, was also cleared over a clash with Daniil Kvyat which forced Raikkonen's retirement.
“Kvyat explained that he saw that Raikkonen was slowing and harvesting [energy] into turn one," the stewards added. "He moved to the inside and attempted to make the pass. He was on soft tyres.
"The stewards accepted his explanation that he felt he could make the corner. Raikkonen explained that he had seen Kvyat earlier, but had not expected him to be so far into the corner when he turned in."
