Formula 1: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to take 10-place grid penalty at Belgian Grand Prix after exceeding engine allowance

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will take a 10-place grid penalty at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix after exceeding his engine allowance.

As expected and reported earlier this week, Red Bull have opted to serve what they had recently admitted was an “inevitable” penalty for the world championship leader at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend.

The Dutchman’s car was fitted with its fifth internal combustion unit of the season – one more than is permitted under the regulations without penalty – ahead of Practice One on Friday, which will trigger an automatic 10-place grid drop for Sunday’s race.

It means Verstappen will not start the Grand Prix from higher than 11th place.

The reigning world champion has been on the verge of a grid penalty since losing a power unit during June’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend.

Verstappen – who leads McLaren’s Lando Norris by 76 points at the top of the 2024 Drivers’ Championship standings despite not having won any of the last three races – will now suffer a penalty in Belgium for the third straight year.