Stoffel Vandoorne edges towards grid penalty with new PU elements

McLaren-Honda driver Stoffel Vandoorne has edged closer to a grid penalty after taking on new power unit elements for this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix.

Drivers are permitted to use four of each of the six power unit elements during the course of a season, and will incur an initial 10-place grid penalty if a fifth version of an element is fitted.

McLaren-Honda’s campaign has so far been characterised by underperformance and a lack of reliability, with just one finish from six starts, and no points scored.

A fourth MGU-H and turbocharger has been fitted to Vandoorne’s MCL32 at the Sochi Autodrom, meaning he has used his allocation for the season, bringing him closer to a grid drop.

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Vandoorne is the only driver on the grid already onto his fourth version of any part of the six elements.

Ferrari, meanwhile, has fitted new turbochargers to the cars of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen, bringing them onto their third version of that element.

A handful of other drivers are onto the third of four permitted parts: Fernando Alonso (turbocharger, MGU-H), Romain Grosjean (turbocharger) and Carlos Sainz Jr. (MGU-H, MGU-K).

The remainder of the field are either on their first or second parts of each element; title contender Lewis Hamilton is still on the first of each element, with Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll also yet to receive any fresh parts.

Revised regulations introduced for 2017 also means drivers cannot stockpile new power unit elements, a tactic adopted by several drivers in recent seasons.

Power unit elements at the Russian Grand Prix: