The Russian had set the ninth fastest time in qualifying at Monte Carlo, and had been due to start from eighth thanks to the gearbox penalty that Kimi Raikkonen has been given.

However, post-session inspections found that the car did not comply with front floor deflection tests.

A statement from the FIA's technical delegate Jo Bauer said: "The vertical deflection under a vertical load of 4000 Newton exceeded 5mm. As this is not in compliance with Article 3.17.5 I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration."

If the car is found to be in breach of the regulations then Kvyat will have his qualifying time deleted and he will be forced to start from the back of the grid.

Kvyat said after qualifying that he hit a kerb quite hard, which could have contributed to the issue with the floor.

"It was all good, a very good start and a very bad end," he explained. "I was on for a very good lap in the last run, for P5, but I think I hit the kerb really hard at Turn 14 - the swimming pool.

"Then I think something broke. For the last three corners, I was a passenger, I couldn't turn – and lost a lot of laptime there.

"But I need to speak to the engineers - it's just my theory at the moment. Something went completely wrong through there."