Max Verstappen handed 5-place grid penalty for engine change

Credit: Lars Baron

​Reigning champion and championship leader Max Verstappen has been handed a five-place grid penalty for an engine change, which will come into effect for Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix.

Verstappen leads the championship with just four rounds remaining of this epic 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship and is in a battle mainly with Lando Norris of McLaren.

Verstappen, who was won here twice previously in his Formula 1 career in 2019 and 2023, will take a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race as he takes on board a new internal combustion engine (ICE).

It was confirmed on Friday to the world, that indeed Verstappen would take a grid penalty for the Grand Prix at the end of free practice 1 at Interlagos.

The 27-year old has led the championship throughout the season and has picked up seven victories across 20 Grand Prix as he goes in search for his fourth Drivers’ World Championship.

​This will mount a big challenge for Verstappen as the car hasn’t been the strongest of late in comparison to the direct competition in McLaren and Ferrari, who after Mexico, are now both above Red Bull in the Constructors Championship fight.

Verstappen will be hopeful of starting at least one race from pole position and he has the opportunity to do so in the sprint qualifying, which will complete Friday’s track action.
The sprint race itself will take place on Saturday before the Grand Prix qualifying. 

Brandon Whiteside
Writer - F1 Journal