Max Verstappen will start the Brazilian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after Red Bull confirmed a power unit penalty for the four-time Formula 1 champion.
Red Bull Confirms Penalty and Practice Pace
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the third practice session, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the driver will take an engine penalty. “We will have to take an engine penalty with Max. He will start from the back – a position he knows very well here after the last two years,” Mekies said, adding that the team is confident in his ability to charge through the field.
Before the penalty announcement, Red Bull head of strategy Hannah Schmitz noted that the team evaluated multiple adjustments following the second practice session at Interlagos to address areas the driver was dissatisfied with. Mekies described the car’s speed during the opening two practice sessions as decent, noting that Friday’s work involved chasing various setups to optimize lap times.
Championship Battles and Rival Penalties
Verstappen arrives in Brazil following a victory at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, which elevated him to second place in the drivers’ standings. Although Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured the championship in Mexico City, the battle for second remains tight, with only 16 points separating Verstappen from fifth-placed Charles Leclerc.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell occupy third and fourth in the standings respectively, and both drivers are also facing grid penalties for the upcoming race. Russell is set to incur a five-place grid penalty, while the specific details regarding the extent of Hamilton’s penalty remain to be determined.
