Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has confirmed that Max Verstappen will face a grid penalty in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix due to engine changes. The Dutchman encountered engine troubles during practice in Mexico, limiting his track time, and he had previously suffered a similar issue during practice in Canada.
Earlier in the 2024 Formula 1 season, the three-time F1 world champion installed a new engine at the Belgian Grand Prix, where he topped qualifying but dropped to 11th on the grid due to a penalty. This upcoming penalty in Brazil marks his sixth internal combustion engine of the season, exceeding the allowed four.
Notably, the grid penalty will apply solely to Sunday’s main Grand Prix, leaving Saturday’s sprint unaffected, similar to the recent case with Liam Lawson in the United States Grand Prix at the Austin circuit. Helmut Marko revealed in his Speedweek column that Max Verstappen was forced to rely on two different engines during the Mexico weekend, confirming Red Bull’s decision for another engine change at the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Brazil.
“The pace was also not right because the engine problem meant that a different engine had to be installed, which had reached the end of its life and was actually no longer planned for racing. That was one of the reasons why we were one of the slowest cars on the straights. When a Formula 1 engine has reached a certain number of kilometres, the loss of performance is clearly noticeable. We are currently investigating whether we could use the engine with the leak again. But here too, the number of kilometres means that it is no longer planned to be used. All of this means that we cannot avoid changing the engine in Brazil, with the corresponding penalty.” – Helmut Marko wrote.
The exact number of grid places Max Verstappen will drop for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix remains uncertain. According to F1’s sporting regulations, if he takes only a single internal combustion engine (ICE), he will face a five-place grid penalty based on his qualifying position. However, if Red Bull decides to replace his entire power unit, Verstappen would be required to start from the back of the grid.
As he heads into the weekend at Interlagos, The Red Bull driver holds a 47-point lead over Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings. With 34 points up for grabs during Brazil’s sprint weekend and a total of 120 points still available before the season’s end, Max Verstappen’s championship lead will be tested by both the grid penalty and the potential points haul left in the final races.
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