Magnussen, Chilton, Hulkenberg set for gearbox penalties

McLaren's Kevin Magnussen, Marussia's Max Chilton and Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg are all expected to drop five places on the grid for Sunday’s 2014 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix after unscheduled gearbox changes on their cars.

F1 sporting regulations require a driver to use no more than one gearbox for six consecutive events.

Hulkenberg's box had to be changed after his retirement at the last round in Japan, the penalty only kicking in because he was still a classified finisher at Suzuka. Magnussen's and Chilton's changes followed FP3 in Sochi.

Lotus’s Pastor Maldonado also heads into qualifying with a five-place penalty. The Venezuelan was penalised 10 grid spots at the last round for an unscheduled engine change, but was only able to use five of those in Japan, carrying the remainder into the Russian weekend.