Red Bull’s Verstappen to start five places back after an engine change, shaking up the weekend lineup

Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 champion and current season leader, will face a challenging Sao Paulo Grand Prix after receiving a five-place grid penalty. Red Bull fitted Verstappen’s car with a new internal combustion engine, pushing him over the allocated limit for the year, which automatically triggered the penalty. As a result, the highest position Verstappen can begin from on Sunday’s grid will be sixth, potentially opening up the race to his closest competitors.

Verstappen enters the weekend with a 47-point lead over his nearest title rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris. However, the Dutch driver had a low-key start to the weekend, finishing 15th in Friday’s practice. His penalty could give Norris a prime chance to chip away at Verstappen’s lead, especially with a sprint race also taking place on Saturday, offering additional points.

Norris showed strong form in practice, clinching the fastest time and edging out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.181 seconds on his final lap. It was a stellar session for British drivers, with newcomer Oliver Bearman, filling in for Kevin Magnussen at Haas due to illness, clocking the third-fastest time, completing a British top three.

Oscar Piastri of McLaren continued the team’s strong showing, coming in fourth, while Williams’ Alex Albon, along with Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, followed in fifth through seventh positions. Rounding out the top 10 were Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

Lewis Hamilton, who ended up in 16th place, similarly opted not to run on soft tyres, choosing to save them for the remainder of the weekend. Verstappen also appeared to test the soft tyres but abandoned his lap before the end, keeping his car roughly 0.1 seconds off Russell’s pace before backing off at the final corner.

With the Sao Paulo Grand Prix’s sprint format adding another twist, Verstappen’s penalty ensures the race weekend will be a tactical battle from start to finish. His ability to fight through the field will be crucial, especially as Norris and the McLaren team look to capitalise on Red Bull’s setback