Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar is set to start this weekend’s Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after taking a his fifth power unit of 2026.
Hadjar has been given his fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust system, exceeding his season’s maximum allowance of four.
Given the number of grid spots Hadjar would lose exceeds 15, his penalty is converted into a back-of-the-grid start, with the Frenchman now set to line up in 22nd position on Sunday.
On Thursday Hadjar had already alluded to his string of five consecutive top six finishes, since May’s Canadian Grands Prix, likely coming to an end this weekend.
“This weekend, I think another top-six finish is going to be difficult given where I’m starting from, but we’ll give it a go,” Hadjar told Canal+. “The main focus will be on race pace. It won’t be as much about qualifying performance, because we already know what to expect.
“We’ll probably start 22nd on the grid, but Spa is a track where you can overtake. A lot can happen, and we know we’ve got decent race pace. So I’m expecting to have some fun on Sunday.”
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Team-mate Max Verstappen is also taken a new V6 motor, turbo and exhaust, but the four-time world champion is safe because he had only used two of each thus far.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris will also move to the back of the grid because he is taking his fifth battery of the season, exceeding his allowance of four, following a number of reliability issues.
Norris and Piastri are both moving to a new Mercedes HPP power electronics unit, which should improve reliability, with Norris moved back 10 spots on the grid. The pair also has Mercedes’ latest combustion engine at its disposal, one weekend after Mercedes’ other customer teams Williams and Alpine.
Elsewhere, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll also incurs a grid penalty for installing a new Honda MGU-K electric motor, with Stroll also demoted 10 places in theory. Given his team’s performance woes, the Canadian was expected to start towards the back anyway and looks likely to line up in 21st alongside Hadjar.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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