Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has hit out at Formula 1's engine penalty system which caused widespread confusion at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, as nine drivers were handed grid penalties.
The bizarre situation, the result of various engine component and gearbox changes, saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo qualify second and third, before being demoted to 13th and 16th.
However Carlos Sainz and Jolyon Palmer, with ten and 15 place-penalties respectively, remained in the same grid positions they qualified, whilst Kevin Magnussen, who failed to escape Q1, started inside the top ten (ninth) a position ahead of Sauber's Marcus Ericsson who gained eight places on the grid.
Horner believes the system needs a rethink as it has become too confusing for fans and predicts it will only get worse as the season progresses.
"It needs a serious look at to see whether there is a better way to penalise a manufacturer or an entrant as opposed to messing around with the grid," said Horner. "It is only going to get worse towards the end [of the season] and it would be a shame to see this championship decided on grid penalties."
Horner is also keen to see the reduced number of power units allowed next season increased, as it is due to drop to three despite the calendar expanding to 21 races from 20.
"What concerns me is that we are going to three engines for next year with more races," he added. "To me, that should be number one on the agenda at the next Strategy Group meeting.
"I tried to get it changed at a meeting earlier in the year but there was no support for it. I would hope that would perhaps be different with teams staring down the barrel of further penalties between now and the end of the year.
"Obviously the penalty has to be a significant deterrent because the whole point of this was cost-saving. But we're not saving costs because the engines are going on a world tour anyway. Maybe five engines is the right number rather than four going to three."
FIA president Jean Todt was present at the race on Sunday and confirmed the penalty system needed to be looked at, saying he was open to suggestions and would raise the matter at the next Strategy Group meeting.
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