Bottas takes Italian GP grid penalty after engine change

Valtteri Bottas will start Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix from the back of the field after being fitted with a new power unit at Monza.

Mercedes installed the new elements ahead of Friday’s qualifying session, which precedes the second ‘F1 Sprint’ on Saturday.

The penalty will not impact Bottas’ starting position for Saturday’s shorter race, which determines the grid for Sunday’s grand prix.

With the grid drop total exceeding 15 places, Bottas has been forced to line up at the rear of the grid as per the regulations.

RelatedPosts

How the Austrian GP cemented F1 2025 as a two-horse race

9 hours ago

Toto Wolff: Kimi Antonelli’s ‘unfortunate’ Austria F1 error ‘can happen to the greats’

10 hours ago

It marks the first time this year that Mercedes has taken a grid penalty for exceeding the quota on engine components.

Last time out at the Dutch Grand Prix, Mercedes’ championship rivals Red Bull took a grid penalty with Sergio Perez, who had a new Honda power unit fitted to his car.

It is expected that the two drivers’ title protagonists, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, will also take grid drops later in the season.