German Grand Prix: the starting grid

Lewis Hamilton will start from 20th on the grid for the German Grand Prix after the FIA ​​accepted that replacing a brake disc from another supplier does not breach Formula 1 rules.

Mercedes demonstrated to the stewards that the replacement of the brake discs does not constitute a change in the specification of the car, and received the OK from the stewards to field Hamilton's car on the grid instead of starting from the pit lane.

Following meetings between the FIA ​​and the Brackley team at Hockenheim this morning, it was agreed that the Carbone Industrie discs that Hamilton would use are of a similar weight to the Brembos he had on the car for qualifying.

Article 34.2 of the F1 sporting regulations states that: “It must be clear that any replacement part of a team must match the original in mass, inertia and function.”

Although Hamilton qualified 15th, damage to his Mercedes required a new gearbox – resulting in a five-place grid penalty.

The only other sanction applied after qualifying was a three-place demotion for Esteban Gutierrez's Sauber following his collision with Pastor Maldonado at Silverstone.

The complete starting grid for the German GP is:

Team Driver Pos 1. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 2. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 3. Felipe Massa Williams-Mercedes 4. Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 5. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull-Renault 6. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 7. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 8. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso-Renault 9. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 10. Sergio Perez Force India-Mercedes 11. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 12. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Renault 14. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 15. Adrian Sutil Sauber-Ferrari 16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 17. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Ferrari 18. Pastor Maldonado Lotus-Renault 19. Kamui Kobayashi Caterham-Renault 20. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Ferrari 22. Marcus Ericsson Caterham-Renault