Red Bull driver Mark Webber was given an automatic five-place grid penalty for the German Grand Prix for a gearbox change on Saturday.
Webber has won two races this season, including the British Grand Prix at Silverstone two weeks ago, and is second in the driver standings, 13 points behind Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.
The penalty will drop Webber five places from whatever position he secures in Saturday’s qualifying.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean of Lotus also picked up five-place penalties for gearbox changes.
Alonso was quickest in Saturday morning’s last practice session followed by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, the Sauber of Sergio Perez and Kimi Raikkonen’s Lotus with Webber fifth.