Good news for Norris: Verstappen will get another penalty in Brazil
Max Verstappen is going to start from outside the top five in Brazil, no matter what. Helmut Marko confirmed this ahead of the weekend at Interlagos. This is because a completely new combustion engine is going to be introduced to his pool, which will mean a five-place penalty.
On Friday in Mexico City, Verstappen struggled with engine problems, which meant he was barely able to cover kilometres. "We are currently investigating whether we can use the engine with the leak again. But actually it is not the intention to use it again. That has to do with the number of kilometres the engine already has on it," Marko said in his column for Speedweek.com.
Red Bull cannot do otherwise
Immediately after the Mexico Grand Prix, the 81-year-old Austrian was still discussing a "consideration" of incurring a grid penalty with Verstappen, but three days later, he was a bit more adamant. The conclusion: "All this means we cannot avoid replacing the engine in Brazil, with a corresponding penalty," Marko said.
The track in Brazil offers good overtaking chances. For now, it seems that it only concerns the ICE, i.e. the combustion engine. Changing that part cost him a ten-place grid penalty in Belgium, but as Verstappen is now forced to use a new engine again, it will only cost him five places.
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
Getting a new engine and taking a 5 place penalty is not too different to 'illegally ovetaking' someone who has been blocking you and getting a 5 second penalty, as the 'advantage' of the move is worth more than 5 seconds. With a new engine, they can afford to turn it up more to give better performance and at Brazil, dropping 5 positions is a worthwhile compromise in order to have a more powerful engine at a track with good overtaking opportunity down the long straight if your car is quicker in a straight line.
Just like it was for Lewis in 2021 with his suppose 'illegal, cheating' spicy engine. Very different now that it's Max though.
Any of the other 19 drivers can take a new engine, it’s up to them. Spicy or not, Max is still facing an uphill battle for the title, even if he’s in the lead. A DNF would really put him in arms reach by Lando and Leclerc is slowly creeping into the picture as well. Smart decision to get a new engine. Lewis did the same thing when he needed every bit of extra pace back in ‘21
"Max is still facing an uphill battle for the title" Erm... well... not really. He's pretty much got the title already. "Lewis did the same thing when he needed every bit of extra pace back in ‘21" Yes and I seem to recall Mercedes and Lewis getting a lot of flak and abuse for that. Cheating, illegal spicy engine I remember hearing many times. That wasn't opposed by anyone from the RB side. So..... I guess now the same can be applied to Max. Because you know.... what goes around, comes around. New engines can fail too btw. Unless things don't go as normal, Max will have to pass Norris or just take the points behind him. If he goes for the pass, he'll have to do it in DRS. He can't do it on a turn, because he won't be able to keep it clean there.
You’re absolutely right this time, and I’m loosing a bit of respect for Max lately, due to the on track actions of his… The Honda engine this year adding “salt to the wounds” caused by the messed up aero platform. The RB20 turned into a mess compared to McLaren and Ferrari…
I think I know why the RB20 turned into mess, but it's not happy reading for an RB fan. On the face of it the current (I would say legal) RB20 is not performing badly at all. It's in the mix. Just not able, any more, to take on McLaren in raw pace. Max has to adapt to make up for some of that. But he's doing it by adopting his 2021 style which he got away with back then. I think that's why people were so surprised he didn't get away with it in Mexico and are now having knee-jerk reactions to what needs to change. Well this system we have now has been in place for decades and has always worked. I think what broke it is the FIA's favouritism to Red Bull, as I see it, over the last 4 seasons, and Max breaking the rules and being a Red Bull driver. Something has to give and when the FIA fall out of favour with Red Bull it could crash down hard. I think the RB20 car is where it should have been from race 1. I believe RB have run that inertial braking system on their car since the rule change for the start of 2022. The timing of the banning of that system, was perfectly in sync with Red Bull's car performance drop. I cannot see that as a coincidence. You don't go from annihilating every team for 2.5 years to no wins in 10 races. Are we to believe in 2022 and even more, 1 year later in 2023, that ONLY Red Bull got it right with the aero and all other designers from 19 other teams were so incompetent by comparison? RB was over between 0.5 and 1.5s per lap over other teams in 2022 and 2023. That's not just aero. Honda are a great manufacturer. I've had 4 Honda's in my time and those engines are brilliant. They've been in F1 on and off for a long, long time. At least 60 years right? I hope they keep their honour until the rest of their tenure with RB, which is just 1 and a bit seasons to go.
I still find the penalty system for component usage very silly. 10 places for not being able to keep within your allocation....but only 5 when you do it a second time. My Dad was never that lenient,the punishment didn't get less for doing the same thing twice,on the contrary.
Yeah, it makes as much sense as wiping yer bum before you take a shi.te.
I don't think 5 places is such a problem. He'll be back in top 5 in no time with a fresh engine and it might also give some extra performance the last few races.
Hopefully this will keep Max out of Norris's way and if Max tries a pass on Norris... well I hope Norris knows to defend with everything he has and force Max into doing something he'll get punished for.
Yup and then a dnf for Norris then Max extends his lead.
If Max is the one doing the overtake, the 'trick' is to overtake on the outside of the corner and run wide, but do not complete the pass but to pull in behind, then the other driver will be given a penalty for 'pushing an opponent off the track'. If that is the way the rules are going to be enforced, then I am sure Max is 'smart enough' to work out thats gthe way to do it.
Yep. So many believe that Max is the only one smart enough. Hamilton rumbled Max a few times and Max didn't like it when he did.
Took the words right out of my mouth. Almost worked for Lewis ?
Haha... oh another Max that was a blight on F1. Him and his naughty parties :)
Max get new engine so in quily max get poke he will start 6th .and what happens when lando dont do well in quily they not say about that one
But wen luwis get new engin in brasil in 2021 peple say it roket engine and spicy but now its ok wen max get new engin, you not say about that one
I agree with you 100% but....man ..... install an english spell chucker in your browser.
The problem at RBR isn t the engine ....The problem is the balance of the car..
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