Max Verstappen, the current Formula 1 world champion, has seen Red Bull’s dominance diminish after a unicorn season. Despite achieving an impressive 19 victories last year, the Dutch driver has secured only seven wins leading up to the until now. While he maintains a strong position in the drivers’ standings, Red Bull may lose the constructors’ championship.
Notably, Verstappen seems to be the sole driver fighting for Red Bull, as Sergio Perez’s performance has significantly declined. Earlier, during the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen had to start the race from 11th place due to a grid penalty. This was due to a power grid penalty, as the team used the prescribed number of engines. Now, rumors suggest that he may face another similar penalty in the upcoming races.
Max Verstappen To Get Second Power Unit Penalty
In July, three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen encountered a challenge at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. He had to replace his fifth combustion engine of the season, exceeding the FIA’s allowed limit of four replacements per year. As a result, Verstappen received a 10-place grid penalty. Although he qualified in P2, he started the race from P11. Nevertheless, the Dutch driver managed to finish in P4 through clever strategy and impressive tire management, narrowly missing out on a podium spot. Unfortunately, it seems that Max will face further difficulties in the remaining six rounds of the season as Red Bull’s problems continue to escalate.
A second power unit penalty is around the corner for Red Bull, and it all depends on the RBR management to strategically take it. In F1, teams are allotted a limited number of engine components. In Formula 1, the regulations state that there’s a penalty-free allowance of four components for the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Turbocharger (TC), MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit – Heat), and MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic). For the Energy Store (ES) and Control Electronics (CE), the limit is set at two. Teams can utilize up to seven exhausts before facing a grid penalty.
Once a team exceeds these component limits and increases its pool of parts, a 10-place grid penalty is incurred for each item that goes beyond the allocation. After crossing the threshold for any specific component, each subsequent change results in a five-place grid drop.
Lando Norris Set For A Harsh F1 Penalty
Now, the focus shifts to strategically applying the penalty to minimize its impact on the team’s standings. Max Verstappen is not alone in the queue, as his rival Lando Norris is also set to get a grid drop penalty. Therefore, the world title front runners, Red Bull, and McLaren, would use the penalty in a circuit that allows overtaking.
The Circuit of the Americas was a good option, but now it’s too late for the penalty. Next, the Mexican racing circuit is inappropriate to start in the lower rows. Therefore, these two options are out of the question. The only logical option is the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with a maximum range for DRS and overtaking.
