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Williams has been fined 60,000 Euro for a front wheel fastener coming off Pastor Maldonado's car during second free practice for the Indian Grand Prix.

With Williams having been punished at Suzuka for a similar offence, the race stewards at the Buddh circuit deemed that another hefty punishment was merited.

Following an examination of the evidence, it was discovered that the front right wheel fastener had been cross-threaded at a pitstop, and therefore had not engaged the primary retaining plunger.

As well as this being officially an unsafe release, the fact that the car's secondary retaining plunger failed to keep the wheel fastener in place was another breach of the rules.

With Williams having promised to fix its wheel problems after Japan, the stewards felt that a penalty was sanctioned, but it was noted that unlike at Suzuka, the wheel had stayed on the car this time.

A statement issued by the FIA said: "The stewards noted that in this case the wheel had been retained on the car (unlike the similar incident in Suzuka two weeks ago) and that the cross threading of the wheel fastener contributed to the fastener coming off the car.

"Whilst the stewards accept that improvements to the wheel retaining system had been implemented, the team need to ensure that both the wheel and its fastener are fully retained on the car.

"The stewards decide that a fine of 60,000 Euro is the most appropriate penalty in this case taking into account that this was the second offence, but on this occasion the wheel was retained."