» Buemi dumped to the back of the grid

Sébastien Buemi has had his qualifying times excluded ahead of the German Grand Prix after FIA scrutineers discovered an irregularity with the fuel in his Toro Rosso car.

The Swiss driver had qualified 16th-fastest for today’s race at the Nürburgring, one spot ahead of team-mate Jaime Alguersuari.

The team has blamed the installation of a new fuel system – to counter a fuel pressure problem discovered in Friday practice – as the culprit in causing a possible contamination to the car’s fuel.

“During Friday’s FP1, Buemi’s car had a fuel pressure problem, which then got worse at the start of FP2 which is why he did not do a timed lap in that session,” the team said in a statement.

“After FP2 the entire fuel system on his car was changed. When the fuel sample was taken from his car after qualifying, it did not match the one provided to the FIA prior to the start of the season.

“The team believes that some part of the new fuel system contained a chemical that contaminated the fuel and caused the non-conformity.”

Buemi will still be allowed to start the race, albeit from the back of the grid.

[Image via LAT]