Hamilton, Verstappen and Leclerc face grid penalties in Sao Paulo
Ferrari says its planned engine change costs Hamilton and Leclerc 10 grid places each at Interlagos.
Key facts
Story- Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc all face grid penalties for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Ferrari is making a planned engine change on Hamilton's and Leclerc's SF-26 cars.
- Each Ferrari driver will start 10 places lower on the grid at Interlagos on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc will all start the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from lower on the grid after engine changes. The race takes place at Interlagos on Sunday.
Ferrari has decided to fit a planned new engine to both Hamilton's and Leclerc's SF-26 cars. The team said the change costs each driver a 10-place grid penalty. Ferrari made the decision after a difficult set of practice sessions on Friday.
Verstappen, who drives for Red Bull, also faces a grid penalty for an engine change. The size of his penalty has not been stated.
Formula 1 teams have a limited number of engine units each season. Using a new unit before its allowance runs out brings a grid penalty. Ferrari said it will use a new internal component in the engine it fits. The component has not been described in detail.
The penalties mean the front of the grid will look different from the qualifying order. Drivers who start further back usually have less time to move up in the race, so the change can affect race strategy and results.
It is not yet clear how the penalties will change the final order of the race. It has not been said which drivers will start on pole position after the penalties are applied.
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