Verstappen also set for US GP grid penalty

2017 United States Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen will become the fourth driver this weekend to collect a grid penalty for the United States Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver will use his sixth engine and MGU-K this weekend which means he will take a 15-place grid penalty.

He joins Brendon Hartley, Nico Hulkenberg and Stioffel Vandoorne whose penalties were announced yesterday.

Verstappen previously had a grid penalty due to changing power unit parts at the Italian Grand Prix.

This article will be updated.

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    23 comments on “Verstappen also set for US GP grid penalty”

    1. Shame really, he could have added some spice to the race at front.

      1. He could still add some spice to the race from the back though! Especially if it rains and/or multiple SC opportunities arise.

    2. I’m tired of these grid penalties. Next year is going to be even worse. It’s all in an effort to reduce costs, but if they start in the back and don’t score points, they won’t get payouts at the end of the year for their position in the constructor’s championship.

      1. It would never happen, of course, but it would be fun if all the teams could get together and agree to use 5 or 6 of all the components next year. This would ensure they all got approx. the same amount of grid penalties (until the agreed upon number is surpassed), but perhaps more importantly it would be a good collective thumbs down to these ridiculous limits.

      2. Actually in red bulls case, less points will net them more money unless they can overhaul Ferrari. Payouts to teams are based on championship finishing position but teams then pay a certain amount back per point scored.

    3. Total disregard for the fans.
      If I pay the price of admission I expect to see the fastest drivers start where they qualify.
      Diluting the race because of stupid rules should warrant a partial refund.
      Get rid of the hospitality suites and other elitist crap, which must cost a fortune to ship from race to race, and allow as many frakkin’ engines as they want.

      1. The rules are rules.

        Would you expect a team start in one-two even if they had an illegal car in quali? Did you expect Schumacher to start on pole in Monaco 2006 despite the fact he cheated?

        Every driver will start in the exact position the rules mandate them to.

        Do you accept that one of the drivers is given an aerodinamic advantage despite being behind an other driver? (DRS)

        1. None of your examples address the problem.
          Lets see, Usain Bolt qualifies in a heat race but changes his shoes for the final, should he be made to start ten meters behind the rest?
          Change the rules, this is meant to be entertainment, fans and the driver are being screwed.

          1. @I used to have admission to the Moet ‘club’ at Long Beach, getting sloshed with a bunch of posers was a lot of fun but did nothing to improve the racing, nor did I suddenly fill the fridge with bubbly.

      2. Come on.
        I’m sure there are also rules you don’t like in other sports.
        You ask them for a partial refund as well?

        1. Ofcourse not, and you’re right but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at the rules to see if they could be changed for the better does it?

          What if we say the engine manufacturer is fined $1 million per extra engine component above the allocated number in stead of the driver getting a grid penalty, and then 33% of that money goes to breast cancer research or what have you 33% goes to junior formula (via the FIA) and 33% goes to the teams in reverse grid order (the last team in the constructors standings receiving the most).

          That way we could still urge the engine manufacturors to make reliable products (and so reduce cost) while not penalizing the team (grid penalty potentially means less points), the driver (less chance to get a good result) and the fans (who want to see the fastest drivers compete at the front).

          1. @jeffreyj A couple of million isn’t really worth a lot to the bigger teams. If the title was close between Vettel and Hamilton, I guarantee that both teams would gladly take the monetary hit in order to have new PUs for every race. On the other hand, a couple of million is worth a lot to a team like Sauber, what then? If this idea was to be implemented, I would say that it would have to be done according to constructor’s standings i.e Mercedes pays a lot more per component than Force India.

            1. I didn’t say the teams, I said engine manufacturers. So if say Williams needs an extra MGU-H it would be manufacturer Mercedes who’d be paying.

        2. And given the fact you bought the ticket understanding and knowing about the rules you’re only fooling yourself, right?

      3. @budchekov The hospitality packages and facilities are pretty essential to help any sporting venue make money, for the teams it’s an essential part of there funding model from Sponsors.

        Unlimited engines is a bad idea, even worse than the current situation costs would escalate to an unmanageable level which is why NO teams are proposing that route.

        In this case Red Bull have chosen to give Max the penalty taking the new engine on offer from Renault, along with Hulkenberg and Brendon Hartley.

        1. Then make the sponsors pay the teams for engines not champagne.
          Make up for it by plastering the name on the car, most of those shark fins are blank, heck other than on the rear wing I don’t even know who sponsors most of the teams.

    4. Did Verstappen fit on those new parts in P3?

    5. What!!! Alonso desn´t have any penalty this race! Amaaaaazing… ;)

      I’m with all of you.
      I’m tired of these stupid rules.
      Hartley, first race in F1, living his own dream…, with a penalty.

      1. Don’t worry, qualifying has not started yet, so Alonso still makes a chance…

    6. I’m a bit surprised that only Verstappen is taking grid penalties for this race for exceeding PU element allocations assuming that it’s inevitable that Ricciardo will have to take some grid penalties for the same reason as well before the end of the season unless they’re planning to do it with him in Mexico.

      1. @jerejj, the team were deliberately taking a penalty with just one driver so Renault can introduce prototype parts for their 2018 car onto Verstappen’s car whilst Ricciardo uses the standard 2017 unit.

        That way, Renault can compare the performance of the two engines directly against each other and evaluate what improvement in performance the 2018 parts provide. If the new parts are a definite improvement and if Renault can produce enough new parts, Red Bull may then change Ricciardo’s engine in Mexico.

    7. There goes any chance of HAM having a DNF.

    8. Although I do understand the reasoning behind them I am so sick of these penalties every race

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