Renault says an engine software issue caused Sebastian Vettel’s troubled Australian Grand Prix qualifying session.
While his new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo qualified second in Melbourne, reigning Formula 1 world champion Vettel will start only 13th.
Renault confirmed a software issue meant Vettel suffered from a lack of power, and the German said the issue had been present since the morning practice session.
“This morning was still OK but definitely a step down, and then this afternoon when it started to rain I was struggling a lot with driveability and it made my life pretty difficult,” said Vettel.
“I made it round, but I struggled a lot when going on the power, so driveability was down.