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Mark Webber will start the Chinese Grand Prix from the pitlane after his Red Bull team elected to change his gearbox and make other set-up modifications.

The Australian had been due to start from the back of the grid after he was excluded from qualifying for not having enough fuel in his car for scrutineering checks.

Formula 1 fuelling explained

But with little to gain from taking up his position, Red Bull removed his RB9 from parc ferme on Sunday morning to make modifications.

Webber's car will have its settings changed and be fitted with a new gearbox, which will run with different gear ratios in a bid to give him more straightline speed.

He had been the third slowest car through the speed trap in qualifying - 11km/h slower than fastest man Nico Rosberg's Mercedes. The measurement is taken just before the end of the DRS zone on the back straight, 240 metres before Turn 14.

Using that set-up in the race would have given Webber very little chance of moving up through the field.