Ericsson and Kvyat handed grid penalties for Canada

MONACO — Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson and Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat were both handed three-place grid penalties for next month’s Canadian Grand Prix after causing collisions in Monaco Sunday. Russian Kvyat collided with Renault’s Kevin Magnussen and Sweden’s Ericsson had a coming together with his Brazilian teammate Felipe Nasr at the Rascasse corner on lap 47 which ended the race for both drivers. “I was told that Felipe received a call via the radio. Then I saw a gap and tried to overtake him, but we all saw what then happened,” Ericsson said. “It is a difficult situation for us, and it is even more important to stick together as a team in these times. I apologize, and I am sure that this will not happen again in the future.” Sauber principal Monisha Kaltenborn said the behavior of both drivers was unacceptable. “Marcus and Felipe both know how much work is put into every race weekend. They have the responsibility to make it to the end of the race,” she said. “After this, we have clarified the situation internally and both drivers are aware of their responsibilities. Such an incident will not happen again.” Hamilton thanks Rosberg Monaco Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton thanked Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg Sunday after the German followed team orders and let him pass, even though it damaged his own championship chances. “I said thank you for being a gentleman,” the triple champion told reporters. Rosberg had started on the front row, next to Red Bull’s polesitter Daniel Ricciardo, in wet conditions with Hamilton third on the grid. The safety car led the field for the first seven laps but it then became clear, with Ricciardo pulling away, that Rosberg was struggling to get his tires up to temperature and Hamilton was faster. “It was clear that not reversing the situation between Nico and Lewis would definitely lose us the race,” said Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff. “We waited for quite a while, gave him more laps, for the tire to come in but it didn’t. And then finally we decided to call it because the pace was just so much slower. It proved to be the right decision.” Wolff paid tribute to Rosberg, winner of the previous three races in the principality, for giving up the position and understanding what was at stake. The German, who won the first four races of the season and had led by 39 points before Sunday, had his advantage over Hamilton slashed to 24 — less than a race win — with 15 Grands Prix remaining. — Agencies