Verstappen will have to take an engine penalty

In the world of Formula 1, the FIA, responsible for regulating several motorsports, has established strict rules that drivers and teams must adhere to or face a penalty. Beyond the rules of development and on the track, the International Automobile Federation also regulates the changes of components on single-seaters, such as the amount of power unit available per year.

Red Bull, the team leading the constructor’s and driver’s championship thanks to Max Verstappen, should soon receive a penalty on car #1 due to a change of the power unit (engine).

A compulsory passage

The era of penalties seems to have begun in this mid-season. With Pierre Gasly having to start last in Silverstone, this time, it could well be Max Verstappen who loses a few places for a component change.

At the halfway point of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen and Red Bull are facing a reality: the need for Verstappen to undergo a penalty for changing the power unit. Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull, recently highlighted this unavoidable issue, explaining that the Dutch driver has already used all the maximum allowed changes for power unit components. Therefore, the next change in power unit elements will inevitably result in a 10-place grid penalty.

After twelve races out of twenty-four, Red Bull had already received a similar penalty to Silverstone for Sergio Pérez. Before the British Grand Prix, the Mexican driver, teammate of Verstappen, had to change several components of his power unit and reached the maximum allowed changes. Unfortunately, the Red Bull driver had a poor qualifying session which led him to start from the 19th position on the grid. A strategic moment to change components again.

For Verstappen, who is also on the verge of reaching the performance limit of his power unit, choosing the right moment becomes crucial. But since he has already used his four allowed maximum changes for the power unit, this means that any additional replacement will result in a grid penalty.

Horner admits that this situation is inevitable and that the team is working with Honda to determine the strategic timing for making this change. “I’m sure that at some point, we will have to take an additional engine for Max,” Christian Horner said. “It’s just a matter of strategically choosing when to do it. We are therefore working with Honda on this planning, but we will inevitably incur a penalty at some point this year.”

A change may be inconsequential.

This is not the first time Verstappen finds himself in this situation. Last year, during the Belgian Grand Prix, he already had to take a fifth power unit, which resulted in a grid penalty. However, even in the face of this difficulty, Verstappen managed to win the race, highlighting Red Bull’s outstanding performance even in difficult moments.

This year could be different, or not. As the season progresses, Red Bull’s performances seem to have decreased compared to last season. Every decision could influence not only their position on the grid but also their place in the championship, a penalty that the team cannot afford given the performances of other teams this year.

Red Bull will have to analyze the best moment to make this change. Taking into account a possible sixth replacement in case of difficulty. Verstappen, for his part, will have to make the most of each opportunity to maximize his points and his lead in the standings.