Vandoorne drops to back of field for Jeddah race 2

Stoffel Vandoorne has been sent to the back of the grid for the second race of the Jeddah E-Prix after a technical infringement in qualifying.

The Maserati MSG driver was said to have not had his fire extinguisher armed during qualifying, resulting in total disqualification from qualifying. He has, however, been permitted to start the race from the back of the grid.

He will line up 22nd, behind Nico Mueller who has been handed a three-place penalty for causing a collision with Antonio Felix da Costa in Friday night’s race. Vandoorne had initially qualified third in an all-Maserati second row alongside teammate Jake Hughes after falling to Oliver Rowland in a tight semifinal head-to-head Duel.

The decision promotes Hughes to third on the grid, with da Costa moving up to fourth. Edoardo Mortara moved up to fifth, with Friday polesitter and race winner Maximilian Guenther now occupying sixth on the grid.

Sam Bird will start seventh with Nyck de Vries benefitting with a move up to eighth despite narrowly missing out on a shot in the head-to-heads after going fifth quickest his Group session, where the fastest four drivers advance from each.