Monza GP2: Alex Lynn punished for Sergey Sirotkin collision
Williams Formula 1 development driver Alex Lynn will start Sunday's GP2 sprint race from the pitlane following his collision with Sergey Sirotkin in the Monza feature race
Lynn was battling with McLaren protege Stoffel Vandoorne and Rapax driver Sirotkin into the first chicane, when he attempted a move on the inside.
He misjudged the braking zone and collided with the helpless Sirotkin, leaving both of them with race-ending damage.
DAMS driver Lynn was handed a five-place grid penalty for the collision but will start from the pitlane as he cannot serve the full demotion having only been 21st on the 25-car grid.
Lynn accepted full responsibility for the incident.
"Obviously it was my fault," he told AUTOSPORT.
"It's a real shame because obviously I just passed Stoffel.
"The problem was I think it was the first time I arrived with DRS on the pit straight and I braked too late and didn't make the corner.
"Unfortunately Sergey was right in the middle of the corner and couldn't avoid the contact which was a shame, because it ended what was a good race for me and obviously took him out, which isn't fair.
"Luckily the only thing I've got is a bruised ego and I live to fight another day."
Lynn was in contention for the race win at the time, running ahead of eventual victor Alexander Rossi after the frontrunners had pitted.
His DAMS team-mate Pierre Gasly, who retired from the feature race due to a transmission failure, will also start Sunday's sprint race from the pitlane.
The Red Bull protege's mechanics removed the tyre valves on his car when he retired, even though it was deemed to be in parc ferme.
Because he was not classified the stewards ruled that Gasly will have to start from the pitlane, in lieu of a grid drop.
SPRINT RACE STARTING GRID:
| Pos | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jordan King | Racing Engineering |
| 2 | Arthur Pic | Campos Racing |
| 3 | Norman Nato | Arden International |
| 4 | Artem Markelov | RUSSIAN TIME |
| 5 | Richie Stanaway | Status Grand Prix |
| 6 | Mitch Evans | RUSSIAN TIME |
| 7 | Stoffel Vandoorne | ART Grand Prix |
| 8 | Alexander Rossi | Racing Engineering |
| 9 | Robert Visoiu | Rapax |
| 10 | Rene Binder | MP Motorsport |
| 11 | Sergio Canamasas | Daiko Team Lazarus |
| 12 | Julian Leal | Carlin |
| 13 | Rio Haryanto | Campos Racing |
| 14 | Andre Negrao | Arden International |
| 15 | Raffaele Marciello | Trident |
| 16 | Simon Trummer | Hilmer Motorsport |
| 17 | Patric Niederhauser | Daiko Team Lazarus |
| 18 | Johnny Cecotto Jr. | Trident |
| 19 | Jann Mardenborough | Carlin |
| 20 | Sergey Sirotkin | Rapax |
| 21 | Nobuharu Matsushita | ART Grand Prix |
| 22 | Marlon Stockinger | Status Grand Prix |
| 23 | Alex Lynn | DAMS |
| 24 | Pierre Gasly | DAMS |
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