Max Verstappen will face a grid penalty at some point this season for changing to a new
Honda engine. The big question is when this will happen: there is a good chance it will be this weekend in Monza, although
Red Bull Racing says it has no intention of doing so.
According to the analysts of
Sky Sports the
Russian Grand Prix is a good possibility. Spa-Francorchamps could also have been an option, but that would have meant free points for
Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull must not wait too long to change Verstappen engine
In any case, they feel Red Bull had better take the penalty before they are out of control. "You can't wait for your engine to blow up because you haven't taken the penalty," they say.
Verstappen still can't keep up with Mercedes' pace in the first free practice session at Monza, but according to Sky's analysts, that's partly to do with the fact that Red Bull has reversed its engine setting.