Button penalized for collision with Maldonado

Maldonado's Lotus

Jenson Button has been handed a five-second penalty and points added to his license for colliding with Pastor Maldonado during the Chinese Grand Prix.

The pair were involved in a battle for several laps with Maldonado eventually passing Button, only to be re-passed a few corners later.

However the Lotus driver eventually got ahead of the McLaren again before Button attempted an overtake at Turn 1, but ran into the back of Maldonado, forcing both off the circuit.

The time penalty drops the Briton from 13th to 14th, promoting Carlos Sainz Jr.

Speaking after a visit to the stewards office, Button described the incident as a "misjudgment".

"I thought there was room on the inside and, yeah, I can't really say anything else," he said.

"An incident you never want to happen, but just a misjudgment I guess."