Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will face a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix due to exceeding the allowed number of gearbox parts. The penalty will apply to the main race on Sunday and not the preceding ‘sprint’ event.
While the penalty has yet to be officially confirmed, reputable sources, including jomotoday Sport, have verified it with senior figures in Red Bull. Despite the penalty, Verstappen’s exceptional performance in the Red Bull car is expected to have minimal impact on his chances of winning the race at Spa-Francorchamps.
Verstappen is currently leading the championship with a significant 110-point lead after securing victories in nine out of 11 races in the 2023 season. Moreover, he is on a remarkable streak of seven consecutive grand prix victories, closing in on Sebastian Vettel’s all-time record of nine consecutive wins for Red Bull in 2013.
At the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, Red Bull’s win marked their 12th consecutive championship race victory, breaking McLaren’s previous record that stood since 1988.
Despite starting from behind at least five other cars due to the penalty, Verstappen’s impressive skills were demonstrated last year when he won the Belgian Grand Prix from 14th on the grid, showcasing a dominant performance since the introduction of F1’s new regulations in 2022.
Lando Norris of McLaren, who finished second to Verstappen in the Hungarian Grand Prix, predicted that even if Red Bull started last in every race, they would still manage to make their way through the field with their exceptional performance.
Formula 1 teams are limited to using only four sets of certain gearbox components, and Verstappen’s use of a fifth of at least one of these components led to the penalty. However, the specific part that caused the issue was not immediately disclosed.
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