Formula 1 rookie Lance Stroll will take a five-place grid penalty after his FW40 required a gearbox change due to a crash in final practice.
The 18-year-old Canadian lost control of his car on the exit of Turn 10. The backend made the initial contact with the wall, causing damage to the rear chassis, front wing and front suspension. The crash came towards the end of FP3, bringing out the red flag before ultimately sidelining the remainder of the session.
Stroll was the subject of a rough preseason, having several incidents that resulted in crashes and off track excursions.
The team are still working hard to repair damage and change the gearbox in time for #Qualifying, which starts in just under an hour #AusGP
Joey Barnes is the Founder of Motorsports Tribune, an outlet that began with the goal of helping aspiring journalists break into and grow the industry. A regular on the racing scene since 2013, the journey for Joey started by covering a Grand-Am event at Circuit of The Americas in his home state of Texas. He has since primarily focused on the IndyCar Series, with appearances in the garages of NASCAR, paddocks of Formula 1, IMSA and World Endurance Championship, while also occasionally engulfing clouds of dust at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and select Supercross rounds. With previous stops at Autoweek, IndyCar.com, Motorsport.com and RACER, among others, Joey evolved from the singular task as a freelance writer to advanced roles behind the copy desk and alongside some of the best editorial teams in the business. Recognized as a multi-time award winner by the National Motorsports Press Association, Joey currently resides in Dallas-Fort Worth with his trusty four-legged canine companion, Rocket.
