Max Verstappen believes a grid penalty is likely to come at some point after an engine problem disrupted his qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but Red Bull has yet to confirm whether a penalty will actually be required.
The power unit problem during qualifying in Baku damaged Verstappen's chances of securing a strong starting position. The Red Bull driver recovered to finish second in the race after the team changed components within the power unit pool already available to him.
Verstappen had previously said that “a grid penalty is coming at some point”. However, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has stopped short of confirming that assessment, with the team waiting for a technical analysis of the engine that was removed from the car.
“It is not clear yet. It will very much depend on our analysis of the issues we had with his engine in qualifying, which we had to take off the car, and whether or not we can use that engine again,” Mekies told media, including RacingNews365.
Red Bull could still complete the season without a grid penalty if the components already available in Verstappen's power unit pool prove sufficient. Mekies said the key question is whether the driver can reach the end of the season using the fourth engine currently available to him.
If a penalty eventually becomes unavoidable, Red Bull could either wait until a component change becomes necessary or deliberately choose when to accept the grid drop. The team therefore still has flexibility over the timing, although the technical assessment will determine whether a penalty can be avoided altogether.
Mekies also stressed that Verstappen had been performing strongly in Baku before the power unit problems emerged. “We had two different issues with the power unit, and it cost us a lot, but that's what it is. That's part of the game,” he said.
According to Mekies, Verstappen had been “very, very strong” from Friday and would probably have fought for the front row without the qualifying issues. The replacement engine restored Red Bull to the competitive level the team had expected, while the final decision on any future grid penalty remains dependent on the ongoing technical analysis.
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