The starting grid of the Austrian Grand Prix has been shaken up by engine changes and other penalties that started before the race weekend even got underway. 

Penalties Issued

Entering race day, four drivers total have been issued grid penalties. Both entries from Red Bull and McLaren each underwent engine swaps, as was announced prior to the race weekend. 

Although Alonso’s penalty was previously announced, the Woking team decided to change the Honda unit of Jenson Button’s car after the first practice sessions on Friday.

Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo received 10-position penalties for switching the internal combustion V6 engine. Kvyat, who qualified eighth, will start from 15th, while his teammate, cut in Q2 with the 14th best time of the session, will actually only lose four spots, and will begin the race from 18th. Because there were not enough positions left on the grid for him to serve the penalty entirely, he will be forced to serve a five-second time penalty during the race to compensate.

The McLaren duo of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were issued 25-position grid penalties each. In Alonso’s case, the team changed his internal combustion V6 engine, turbo, MGU-H, and gearbox; he lost 10 spots for changing the engine and five each for the other components. As for Button, he will start Sunday's race with a new engine, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K.

Alonso, the 15th fastest in the qualifying, will start 19th. Similarly to Ricciardo, though, the Spaniard will have to serve an in-race penalty, a drive through. Button, cut in Q1 at 17th, will share the last row with the two-time champion and serve a 10-second stop and go during the race.

Full Starting Grid

First row:

1st – No. 44 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2nd – No. 6 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

Second row:

3rd – No. 5 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

4th – No. 19 Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes)

Third row:

5th – No. 27 Nico Hülkenberg (Force India-Mercedes)

6th – No. 77 Valtteri Bottas (Williams-Mercedes)

Fourth row:

7th – No. 33 Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso-Renault)

8th – No. 12 Felipe Nasr (Sauber-Ferrari)

Fifth row:

9th – No. 8 Romain Grosjean (Lotus-Mercedes)

10th – No. 13 Pastor Maldonado (Lotus-Mercedes)

Sixth row:

11th – No, 9 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber-Ferrari)

12th – No. 55 Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso-Renault)

Seventh row:

13th – No. 11 Sergio Pérez (Force India-Mercedes)

14th – No. 7 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

Eighth row:

15th – No. 26 Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull-Renault) +10

16th – No. 98 Roberto Merhi (Manor Marussia-Ferrari)

Ninth row:

17th – No. 28 Will Stevens (Manor Marussia-Ferrari)

18th – No. 3 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull-Renault) +10

Tenth row:

19th – No. 14 Fernando Alonso (McLaren-Honda) +25

20th – No. 22 Jenson Button (McLaren-Honda) +25

Live Race Coverage

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Pete Liguori is a writer for the VAVEL USA Racing section. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteUSSports.