» WTCC: Grid penalty for López

José María López will start Sunday’s opening World Touring Car Championship race at the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo from the back of the grid.

His Citroën Racing team has elected to change the engine in his C-Elysée after he qualified fastest overall in his final WTCC outing on home soil.

The Argentine driver will therefore relinquish his Race 1 reversed grid start position of tenth and line up on the back of the grid for the opening race.

As the grid penalties only apply to the next race in which the competitor takes part, López still keeps his critical Race 2 pole position.

López is the third driver to take an engine change penalty this weekend. He will join Zengö Motorsport’s Dániel Nagy and LADA Sport’s Gabriele Tarquini at the back of the grid for Sunday’s opening race.

Image via FIA WTCC Media