Singapore GP 2016: Midfield reshuffle after Sergio Perez penalty

Sergio Perez has dropped out of 10th place on the Singapore GP grid after being handed a combined eight-place grid penalty for two yellow flag infringements in qualifying.

The Mexican driver was punished for two quick-fire infringements in the closing stages of Q2 after Romain Grosjean's crash caused double-waved yellow flags to be shown at Turns Nine and 10.

Five of Perez's penalty places were enforced after stewards ruled he had neither significantly reduced his speed nor demonstrated he was ready to stop on the approach to the crash scene. He was also given three licence penalty points for the infringement, his first in the last 12 months.

A statement read: "The stewards took into consideration the fact that the driver had two corners in which to slow down significantly and failed to do so and both of which [sic] were blind corners (including one where the accident had taken place and where the damaged car was still in the barriers) and where the driver would not have known if the track had a hazard wholly or partly blocking the track and/or marshals working on or beside the track."

Three penalty places were also applied for Perez passing the other Haas of Esteban Gutierrez while yellow flags were being waved, taking his total penalty up to eight.

The FIA has yet to release the official provisional starting grid, but Perez would drop from 10th to 18th were no other penalties applied to other drivers. Valtteri Bottas takes the Force India driver's 10th-place spot, with Felipe Massa up to 11th and Jenson Button 12th.

Revised top 10 after Perez penalty with starting tyres for Q3 finishers

1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, ultrasoft

2. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, supersoft

3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, ultrasoft

4. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, supersoft

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, ultrasoft

6. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, ultrasoft

7. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, ultrasoft

8. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, ultrasoft

9. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, ultrasoft

10. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, free tyre choice