Max Verstappen (Red Bull), leader in the Formula 1 world championship, will start with a five-place penalty on Sunday on the starting grid of the Brazilian Grand Prix, 21st round of 24 of the season, due to an engine change internal combustion.
Red Bull installed a sixth internal combustion engine on the car of the three-time reigning champion, beyond the four authorized per season, earning him a penalty on the starting grid, officials said in a press release on Friday.
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This sanction is anything but a surprise for Verstappen since earlier in the week, Red Bull special advisor Helmut Marko assured that his driver would receive a penalty for such a change. However, the information had not been officially confirmed until then.
During the first day of testing for the Mexican GP last Friday, the Dutchman suffered an engine problem, forcing his team to draw on its stock of old engines, and thus avoiding a sanction.
Unlike the Mexico route, the Interlagos circuit is more conducive to overtaking. If he will only start 6th at best in the GP on Sunday, from 2:00 p.m. local time, “Mad Max” can hope to move up the hierarchy, especially as rain – in which the Dutchman can perform well – is expected in Sao Paulo.
In the championship, Verstappen is 47 points ahead of his first pursuer, the Briton Lando Norris (McLaren), while up to 34 points (compared to 26 usually) will be to be gleaned, thanks to the fifth sprint (out of six) of the year, run on Saturday, which modifies the course of the weekend.
Thus, the drivers only carry out one free practice session on Friday before qualifying which determines the grid for the sprint race run the next day. After this race, the drivers will compete in “classic” qualifying, which will determine the starting grid for the Sunday GP.
Verstappen’s penalty will not apply at the start of the sprint race.
