With mechanical issues forcing Lewis Hamilton to burn through his allocation of Mercedes power units for the season, it is obvious that he will be forced to take a grid penalty at some points during the season, in order to get a fresh engine. With the current power unit rapidly approaching the end of its life, Hamilton will need to take a penalty very soon.
Under article 23.4 of the FIA’s 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations, each driver may only use four power units over the course of the season. With nine races still remaining in the season, it is certain that Hamilton will be forced to take a new power unit. As stated in the regulations, that would lead to a ten place grid penalty for the Brit.
Although Hamilton now has the lead of the World Drivers’ Championship, the threat from Nico Rosberg is still a concern and Hamilton cannot afford to give away points to his teammate. Prior to summer break, it was predicted that Mercedes would opt to take the grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix or in Italy because they are both fast tracks with relatively easy overtaking. Taking a penalty here would minimize the impact of the penalty, as Hamilton would be able to gain positions easier than at other circuits.
As we prepare for the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, it would appear that the team will be taking the penalty at the Italian Grand Prix. It has not yet been confirmed by team officials, but is highly likely. Monza is slightly easier to overtake at than Spa and is has high requirements on pure engine performance. This means that the Mercedes car will be great at this circuit, due to the large performance difference compared to the other teams.
It is possible that Hamilton could be forced to take another grid penalty if he requires further power unit components later on in the season. However, the team has down-played these rumors, saying that they still have usable components from the previously used power units this season.
Grid Penalties Cloud Hamilton’s Future Races
Reliability A Growing Concern In The Mercedes Garage
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company. Assumptions made in any analysis contained within this article are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author.
