26/07/2024
NEWS STORY
Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda will both take grid penalties for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.
Red Bull opted to introduce its fourth engine of the year into the Dutchman's pool following an issue during practice in Canada.
Aware that another unit would be needed, the Austrian team chose this weekend's race at Spa since the circuit offers the best overtaking opportunities.
Indeed, for the last two years this has been the practice at Red Bull yet hasn't prevented the Dutchman ending up atop the podium.
In 2022 he won after starting from 14th on the grid, while last year he 'only' had to fight his way to the front from sixth.
However, RB's Tsunoda faces an altogether more difficult Sunday, for after taking on a whole new power unit he will be forced to start from the back of the grid.
Currently on his last legal battery, control electronics and turbocharger, Verstappen will take another hit at some point, most likely Monza.
Verstappen's penalty makes it all the more vital that teammate Sergio Perez is in the mix on Sunday, and failure to deliver would almost certainly mean changes at the team over the summer break.
Check out our Friday gallery from Spa here.