Alonso still tops the engine penalty charts
Before FP2, let's review the penalties applied to drivers who have exceeded their annual engine component quota. Four drivers will definitely start from the back of the grid!
Once again, the temple of speed lives up to its reputation. As has been the case since 2014, a slew of penalties apply to various drivers who take advantage of this unique track to change their hybrid V6 engine components. And of course, the names mentioned in the article are not contenders for victory this Sunday…
Alonso, the strength of habit
To each their due, Honda was the first engine manufacturer to confirm a penalty. This affects Fernando Alonso, who will incur a thirty-five place grid penalty on Sunday.
The cause? The “Spec 3.7”! This code name corresponds to the new engine offered by the Japanese brand, in the wake of a previous version – the “Spec 3.5.3.6” – which was very disappointing at Spa-Francorchamps. The poor results and especially the harsh comments from the Spaniard cruelly attest to the failure of this version. Let’s nonetheless recall that Alonso simply withdrew 19 laps from the finish, under still unclear circumstances.
Consequently, the engineers at Sakura had to once again work urgently to save face. Here we are in Monza with a revised version, but only in a testing phase. Indeed, Alonso did not go beyond FP1 with this engine. The former Ferrari driver will have this engine again in Singapore in two weeks, on a track much more suited to the requirements of the McLaren.
From then on, it is indeed this change, from the 3.7 engine to an older version, that justifies this penalty.
Fernando pulls into a damp #ItalianGP pitlane. He hops out of the car to end his session. 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/St9Itk5mcE
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) 1 septembre 2017
Red Bull and the like are skipping
A little later this morning, the FIA also confirmed the penalties applied to the two Red Bull drivers. Like McLaren, the Austrian team wants to keep all its chances for Singapore.
Daniel Ricciardo installs several new components, such as a new MGU-H and turbo, resulting in a 20-place grid penalty.
Max Verstappen is slightly better off. The change of MGU-H and ICE only gives him a 15-place penalty.
Let’s note in passing that these penalties affect another driver powered by Renault. Carlos Sainz is using a fifth MGU-H and falls back ten places on the starting grid.
It will therefore require a certain clarity of mind to understand the starting order for Sunday’s race. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 microphones, Christian Horner said that this penalty system should stop.
« I think they will leave from Milan with all these penalties » the team principal of the four-time world champion team admitted ironically.
« We will likely have a new engine penalty by the end of the season. And when I think that we will have three engines and an additional race. All this doesn’t bring much to the shows… »
Before worrying about the next season, the English manager can still be reassured by Ross Brawn’s remarks. In the Monza paddock, the sporting and technical director stated he wanted to change this system for a fairer alternative for the drivers disadvantaged in this way. Wait and see…
From our special correspondent in Monza
