The FIA has confirmed that two drivers will start from the pit lane for the São Paulo Grand Prix.
It was widely anticipated that Red Bull would hand Max Verstappen a new power unit for the 71-lap race at Interlagos after the four-time F1 champion failed to make it out of Q1, leaving him to start from 16th on the grid.
It is only the second time in Verstappen's 228-race career in F1 that he has failed to escape on pure pace alone. The other six were all power unit-related.
Verstappen struggled for grip and handling with his RB21 after Red Bull took "risks" in setting up his car, according to team principal Laurent Mekies, only for them to spectacularly backfire.
Faced with no other choice in a quest to propel Verstappen into the points and retain a faint hope of taking the drivers' title fight to McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Red Bull has handed the Dutch driver a new power unit, swapping out all components.
Confirmed by the FIA, it means Verstappen has a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store and control electronics, ensuring he starts from the pit lane as each component is beyond the mandated allocation for the season.
There is also a new exhaust, the seventh of eight allowed for a year.
Behind Verstappen in the pit lane will be Haas driver Esteban Ocon, who qualified 17th. Unlike Verstappen, Haas has only handed the French driver a new internal combustion engine.
But this is also the fifth ICE for Ocon, with only four allowed, ensuring a pit lane start.
Most read
In this article
Join the conversation!