Verstappen to take five-place grid penalty in Brazil

01 November 2024 - 18:49 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Max Verstappen sounded more concerned about his car's pace than the penalties he collected in Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix, sanctions his Red Bull team boss Christian Horner called "excessive".
Max Verstappen sounded more concerned about his car's pace than the penalties he collected in Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix, sanctions his Red Bull team boss Christian Horner called "excessive".
Image: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

Red Bull's Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen will take a five place grid penalty for Sunday's race in Brazil in a boost for McLaren rival Lando Norris.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said in a statement on Friday that the Dutch driver will be using his sixth internal combustion engine for the race at Interlagos, his second such breach of the season.

The allowance for the campaign is four and Verstappen took a 10-place penalty for using a fifth engine at the Belgian Grand Prix in July.

The rules state that the first breach is a 10 place drop with five-place demotions for subsequent ones.

Verstappen is 47 points clear of Norris with four rounds remaining, including two Saturday sprints, and a maximum 120 points still to be won.

Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit is relatively easy for overtaking, making it the best place to take a grid penalty of the remaining races.

Verstappen's struggling Mexican team mate Sergio Perez will have a chassis change as he seeks to end a dire run of form.

“We've changed him back into a different chassis,” Red Bull's chief engineer Paul Monaghan told www.the-race.com. “He asked if we can: yeah, fine, OK. The boys got a bit of work but they didn't mind so there we go.”


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.