Four more drivers have collected grid penalties for exceeding the maximum number of power unit components.
Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and both Ferrari drivers will have penalties.Verstappen has taken a new Red Bull-Ford engine, turbocharger and exhaust. He therefore collects a 30-place grid penalty which means he will have to start from the back of the grid.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed their plans for Verstappen before final practice. “He will start from the back, a position he knows very well here after the last two years,” Mekies told Sky. “But he’s done a few miracles in the past. We’re sure he’ll do a few more this year.”
Verstappen won the Brazilian Grand Prix from 17th on the grid in 2024. Last year he started 19th and finished second.
Like Verstappen, Sergio Perez will also take a 30place grid penalty for changing multiple power unit parts.
Five drivers now have grid penalties for the race as George Russell, who also has a new engine, will take a five-place drop.
The stewards also gave Perez a formal warning for throwing a piece of plastic out of his car during final practice.
“The plastic piece was a cable organiser that typically attaches to the seat belt,” the stewards explained. “It dislodged during the session and the driver threw it out as he was concerned that it would lodge itself somewhere else in the car and create a safety issue.
“While we appreciated the fact that it was a small, light piece of plastic that was unlikely to cause any damage to another car or injure another driver, throwing materials onto the track during a live session is not appropriate for obvious reasons.”
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