Mekies says Verstappen grid penalty remains uncertain

Red Bull will replace faulty power-unit components on Max Verstappen’s car before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after an escalating engine problem hampered his run to eighth in qualifying. Team principal Laurent Mekies announced the plan in a team statement quoted by RacingNews365.

The replacement parts will come from Verstappen’s existing pool, so the change will not incur a grid penalty, RacingNews365 reports. Autosport also reports Verstappen saying that an engine change would not bring a penalty.

Engine fault behind battery trouble

Speaking to Autosport in the Baku paddock, Verstappen explained that the initial fault concerned the internal combustion engine rather than electrical deployment. He said it deteriorated throughout qualifying and was no longer working properly by Q3.

Verstappen estimated that the problem was costing him at least half a second compared with his team-mate from Q1, with the situation worsening in Q2 and Q3. That figure was his assessment of the performance loss, rather than his gap to pole position.

Mekies highlighted the loss of straight-line speed and the resulting difficulties with energy management and getting the tyres up to temperature. Verstappen’s explanation to Autosport added detail on those knock-on effects: he said his battery was not charging on his second Q3 lap because of the combustion-engine problem, while having to abandon a lap left his tyres below the required temperature for his final attempt.

Mekies characterised eighth place as damage limitation and said Verstappen and the team would fight to recover towards the podium in the race.

Update

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies says it is too soon to know whether Max Verstappen will need a grid penalty later this season. The team is analysing the engine removed from Verstappen’s car after power-unit problems in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying, including whether it can be used again.

Red Bull avoided a penalty in Baku by fitting components already in Verstappen’s power-unit allocation. Mekies said the engine assessment would determine whether the team could finish the season with his fourth engine.

Verstappen had expected a future penalty after qualifying, RacingNews365 English reports. Mekies is less certain: he says the answer depends on what the engine analysis finds.