It's now official: Max Verstappen, three-time Formula 1 world champion, will have to move back onto the starting grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen, seeking crucial points in his quest for the world title, begins the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend with a grid penalty. Red Bull has in fact installed a sixth internal combustion engine on its car, which results in a drop of five places for Sunday's race.
The engine change made to Verstappen's car exceeds the quota allowed for the season, a situation which forces the FIA to apply a penalty.
In Belgium, during a previous engine change, Verstappen had already been penalized ten places. However, as this was his first quota overrun, the sanction was more severe. This time, for a second overtake, the penalty is reduced to five places on the starting grid.
A complex context with the sprint format
The Brazilian weekend follows a sprint format, which further complicates the situation for Verstappen. Unlike traditional Grands Prix, drivers only have one free practice session before sprint qualifying.
In this context, Verstappen will not have much time to adapt his strategy in the face of this penalty. Assuming an optimal performance, he could hope to start in sixth position at best on Sunday, limiting the damage to the F1 2024 standings.
A fight at the top of the championship
Verstappen maintains a comfortable lead in the standings with 47 points more than Lando Norris, his closest rival. However, this penalty could potentially reduce his gap.
During the first free practice session, it was Norris who took the lead by recording the best time, leaving Verstappen in 15th position. However, the Dutchman has not yet used the soft tires, which suggests room for improvement for qualifying.
A major challenge for the world champion
For Verstappen, the objective will be to move up the grid as much as possible on Sunday and minimize the consequences of this penalty. The reigning world champion will have to demonstrate strategy and control to compensate for this sanction which could influence the final result of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
