• Canadian Grand Prix
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Gearbox change demotes Maldonado to 22nd

ESPN Staff
June 10, 2012 « Qualifying a 'missed opportunity' - di Resta | McLaren upbeat about chances of victory »
Pastor Maldonado's qualifying came to an end in Q2 when he hit the wall at the final corner © Press Association
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Pastor Maldonado will start the Canadian Grand Prix from 22nd on the grid after Williams changed his gearbox ahead of Sunday's race.

It is the second race in a row that Maldonado has been given a grid penalty for a gearbox change and comes after a mistake in qualifying saw him hit the wall on his final lap in Q2. Maldonado had qualified 17th but the five-place penalty will demote him to 22nd.

After qualifying Maldonado said he felt he could have qualified in the top ten had he not had the accident.

"It's very tight, but for sure [we would have been] in Q3. Q3 was so tight so it's difficult to say where, but I was able to do a 1:14.6 and no more than six cars were able to beat that time. But a 1:14.5 was possible on my last lap."

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