Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda penalized ahead of Belgian Grand Prix

Both Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen were assessed grid penalties ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix

Both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda will be starting further back than they would like when the lights go out Sunday at the 2024 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix. Both drivers have seen changes made to their cars outside the allowed number of components for a single F1 season, and penalties are coming their way.

Verstappen’s penalty was anticipated and has been coming for a few weeks now, ever since Red Bull made changes to his RB20 ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. That week the team installed several new components on his car, including 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).

All of those were the fourth of four such elements allowed without penalty throughout an F1 season.

It was confirmed on Friday that Red Bull installed a new ICE on Verstappen’s RB20 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, and under Article 28.3 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, he will face a ten-place grid penalty.

The reason many expected Verstappen and Red Bull to make such a change this week is that the team has often made such changes — and incurred a penalty in the process — for strategic reasons. Overtaking at Spa is a bit easier than it is at other circuits, and at each of the two previous Belgian Grands Prix Verstappen took a similar penalty and managed to win the race. 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 still won that year.

In 2023 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.

As for Tsunoda, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team made a host of changes to his RB01, including a new ICE, a new TC, a new MGU-H, and a new MGU-K. The team also changed his energy store and control electronics.

As all of those elements are above the number allowed for a single season, Tsunoda will start at the back of the grid. Technically, with Tsunoda taking six new components his penalty is a staggering 60-place grid drop. But with only 20 cars on the grid he will be at the back, no matter how well he qualifies.