Max Verstappen facing future penalty after changes at F1 Spanish Grand Prix

Max Verstappen remains atop the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings, and while that title is far from done and dusted, the rest of the field is still facing an uphill climb when it comes to catching the Red Bull driver in the standings.

But in the wake of news announced Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen is facing a future grid penalty — or penalties — at some point this season.

Red Bull announced on Friday that the team was replacing a number of power unit components on Verstappen’s RB20. Among the new components , Red Bill installed a new internal combustion engine (ICE), a new turbocharger (TC), a new motor generator unit-heat (MGU-H), and a new motor generator unit-kinetic (MGU-K):

Each of those components is the fourth such element used by Red Bull on Verstappen’s RB20 this season. For each component listed, teams are allowed four for the entire season, pursuant to Article 28.2 of the FIA Sporting Regulations.

Why might this matter? This weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix is the 10th of 24 races on the season, meaning there is a long way to go in the year without making another change. And while Red Bull can re-use components previously utilized on the RB20, at some point a change to a fifth component is likely.

Pursuant to Article 28.3 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, the next time an additional element is used (in excess of the number allotted for a season) he will face a ten-place grid penalty. Any additional elements following that will result in a five-place grid penalty.

However, this is not new for Verstappen and Red Bull. In each of the past three seasons — where he won a Drivers’ Championship in each — the team strategically installed a new component at a circuit where overtaking was more of a possibility. For example during the 2021 campaign Verstappen took on a new power unit at the Russian Grand Prix in part because he was already facing a three-place grid drop after causing a collision with Lewis Hamilton at the previous race, the Italian Grand Prix. Verstappen did not even set a time in qualifying, and started the 2021 Russian Grand Prix dead last.

He finished second.

The past two seasons have seen Verstappen take similar penalties at the Belgian Grand Prix. In the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix Verstappen qualified on pole, but a series of penalties due to new components saw him start the race in 14th position.

He won the race.

It was the same story last year, as Verstappen qualified in pole position but took a five-place grid drop for new engine components. He started sixth after capturing pole position, but again won the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.

Will the same sequence of events play out this season?