News
Grid penalties for both Red Bulls, plus Alonso and Sainz
Four drivers will take grid drops for Sunday’s race in Italy, all for using additional power unit elements – Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz.
Drivers may use no more than four of any element per season and at Monza Ricciardo has taken his fifth engine and turbo and his sixth MGU-H, meaning a 20-place penalty for the Australian.
Meanwhile team mate Verstappen, who was none too happy after another retirement with engine issues in Belgium last weekend, will lose 15 grid places thanks to a fifth ICE and MGU-H.
Knowing the fast Monza circuit will not suit their Honda-powered machine, McLaren have chosen to take a plethora of penalties – 35 places in total – on Alonso’s car. The Spaniard is on his seventh engine, ninth MGU-H, seventh MGU-K, ninth turbo, sixth energy store and fifth control electronics.
Compatriot Sainz will take a 10-place hit for a fifth MGU-H on his Renault power unit.
Stewards have confirmed that the penalties will be applied in the order drivers first left the pit lane in FP1: Ricciardo, Sainz, Alonso, Verstappen.
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