Michael Schumacher has been handed a 10-place grid penalty for the Japanese Grand Prix after he smashed into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne in Sunday's Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.
Seven-times world champion Schumacher admitted liability for the accident which occurred just after the midway point of the nocturnal race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
In what was a repeat of two previous incidents - one at this track last year and one earlier this season when Schumacher ran into the rear of Williams' Bruno Senna in Barcelona - the stewards decided to heavily penalise the 43-year-old for the next race in Japan.
Michael Schumacher crashes during Singapore Formula One Grand Prix
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(01 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(02 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(03 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore - Qualifying(04 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 22: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP drives during qualifying for the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 22, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(05 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(06 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(07 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(08 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(09 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(10 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(11 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(12 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(13 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(14 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(15 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(16 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(17 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(18 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(19 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(20 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(21 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher (R) of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne (L) of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso forcing both men to retire early during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
AUTO-PRIX-SIN-F1(22 of31)
Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Michael Schumacher (L) of Germany walks back to the paddock after crashing out of Formula One's Singapore Grand Prix on September 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ROSLAN RAHMAN (Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
AUTO-PRIX-SIN-F1(23 of31)
Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Michael Schumacher (L) of Germany and Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Verne of France return on foot to the paddock after crashing into each during Formula One's Singapore Grand Prix on September 23, 2012. AFP PHOTO / ROSLAN RAHMAN (Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/GettyImages) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(24 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher (R) of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne (L) of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso forcing both men to retire early during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(25 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP retires early after crashing into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(26 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP drives during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(27 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(28 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP drives during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(29 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP drives during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(30 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher (R) of Germany and Mercedes GP crashes into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne of France and Scuderia Toro Rosso during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
F1 Grand Prix of Singapore(31 of31)
SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP drives during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 23, 2012 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Mercedes driver Schumacher collected a five-place penalty for the subsequent race in Monaco after hitting Senna, one which saw him start sixth after he had set the fastest time in qualifying.
Schumacher said after the weekend race: "It was obviously a very unfortunate ending to my race when I ran into the car of Vergne, who accepted my apology straight afterwards.
"I am not totally sure why it happened. I was braking, but the deceleration was not as strong as it usually would be and I could not avoid running into the car in front of me.
"We have to find out what happened. Up until then I think it would have been possible to get some points."