Engine change and penalty for Verstappen
The Red Bull team has decided to change the engine for Verstappen. A decision that will have consequences with a 5-place penalty for the Dutch driver.
After Hamilton, Sainz, Perez, Tsunoda, and Schumacher, Verstappen is the 6th driver penalized for the Italian Grand Prix. He receives a 5-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race start.
The penalty is not very significant. The driver will be able to start from the 6th position if they set the fastest time during qualifying. This should benefit the other drivers, who hope to take pole position, like Charles Leclerc for example.
Red Bull has decided to only change the internal combustion engine. This is the 5th time that the driver has changed engine parts, exceeding the normal allowance of 3 times. Here’s a reminder of the regulation that stipulates this.
« The internal combustion engine used by Max Verstappen is the fifth of the three new internal combustion engines allowed for the 2022 season, which is not in compliance with Article 28.2 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations 2022. »
The driver had already received a penalty during the Belgium Grand Prix for another engine change. It’s the second time in 3 races that parts on his engine are being switched.
