SUZUKA, Japan -- Sebastian Vettel received a reprimand for missing the national anthem at the Japanese Grand Prix and will be hit with a ten-place penalty if he receives a further reprimand for a driving offence this season.
Vettel missed the pre-race anthem while his team attempted to fix a spark plug problem on his car's power unit on the grid. Under the regulations drivers are required to stand at the front of the grid during the national anthem as a sign of respect to the host nation, but Vettel arrived too late in Suzuka.
Three reprimands in one season result in a ten-place penalty but only if at least two of the reprimands are for driving offences.