Pastor Maldonado has been punished for his part in the accident that sent Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez🧜 into a somersault in the closing stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Venezuelan was exiting the pits when he made contact with Gutierrez at turn one, the second-year driver💝 having already turned into the corner. Although the nose of Maldonado's Lotus hit the sidepod of the Sauber, it was a clash of t𝔍yres that sent the Mexican into a roll, bouncing off his roll hoop before coming to rest on back on his wheels.

Fortunately, neither driver was hurt in the incident - indeed, Maldona💃do made it to the end of the race after a stop-go penalty - but the stewards took a dim view of the circumstances and decided that further punishment was required.

Having received a report from the race director and examined video evidence, the officials - with the expert eye of Derek Warwick this weekend - decided to impose an additional five-place grid penalty on Maldonado for the Chinese Grand Prix later thi🍌s month, and placed three points on his licence. The points are Maldonado's first of the season, but count towards the twelve maximum he can accrue before a one-race ban is triggered.

After emerging slowly from his wrecked car, Gutierrez was taken to a local hospital for routine checks but was reported to have escaped iไnjury and should be fit to take part in the next round in Shanghai.

🎀Jules Bianchi also had points applied to his licence - a two-point punishment doubling his tally for the year - after being found guilty of causing ♕a collision with Adrian Sutil at turn one. The Frenchman was able to limp back to the pits with a damaged corner before rejoining, but Sutil's miserable weekend ended on the spot. Again, neither driver was injured in the clash.