Verstappen says grid penalty remains possible with six races left

Max Verstappen has not ruled out a grid penalty in the final six races of the season, but says it is not certain he will need one. Asked in Austin about his earlier assessment that a penalty was probably unavoidable, he replied: “It may be necessary, but nothing is certain yet. We’ll see what happens.”

Verstappen has so far escaped a penalty, although he is close to the limits on his engine components. If he needs an additional power unit, a substantial grid penalty could follow. Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar has exceeded the limits several times and started several Grands Prix from the back, partly because of defective components.

At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Verstappen had a battery problem but could fall back on previously used components already in the pool. At the time, he said a penalty was likely unavoidable.

If Verstappen does need a penalty, Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas may be more forgiving places to take it: the circuits’ characteristics and overtaking opportunities could make lost grid positions less costly.