Former world champion Nico Rosberg will not be seen in the paddock of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend after Liberty Media handed him a penalty for his actions during the Chinese GP.

The embargo is set to continue for the next race in Spain as well and although Rosberg works as a television pundit for German and British channels, the 2016 champion won’t be a part of either of the two races.

But, what is the reason behind such a drastic action from the Formula One hierarchy?

According to the Dutch publication Formule 1, during the last race in China, the ex-Mercedes ace reportedly gave his personal world champion pass to his cameraman, which is strictly forbidden as per rules.

As and when it came to the knowledge of the Formula One management, the officials removed Rosberg’s friend from the grid.

The 33-year-old was held accountable and was prohibited from attending the following races in Baku and Barcelona.

Rosberg, however, will be back in Monaco, resuming his duties as the television expert for both media outlets.

Nonetheless, despite the absence of the German star, the race later today is set to be an enticing and engaging event, with all eyes on the Silver Arrows pair and the challenge from Ferrari.

Max Verstappen, too, could cause a huge upset as he entered the mix, managing fifth place on the starting grid, while Valtteri Bottas secured pole position, closely followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Meanwhile, Sebastian Vettel sealed the fourth spot as Charles Leclerc crashed out in Q2, placing him at ninth.

The F1 faithful is keen to witness whether Mercedes continue their winning momentum or Ferrari somehow manages to disrupt their dominance, which has been the scene right from the commencement of the current campaign.