Max Verstappen pit lane start official after major Red Bull changes

Max Verstappen will start the São Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos from the pit lane after Red Bull made changes to his RB21 under parc ferme conditions.

The FIA has confirmed that the Milton Keynes-based squad has also fitted an entirely new power unit into the back of his car, taking advantage of his poor grid-setting session. Setup changes have additionally been made to the suspension of the car.

The only new component that is within Verstappen's existing allocation is his exhaust system, which is the seventh of eight within his pool. All other units are outside his allowed provision.

The Dutchman had qualified a lowly P16 after a dismal Saturday afternoon in Brazil, something that prompted the six-time F1 constructors' champions to alter the set-up of his car.

Having made modifications already, following his fourth-place finish in the one-third distance sprint, Verstappen was eliminated in Q1, with his RB21 appearing to have taken a step backwards in relative performance.

Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, who will not start from the pit lane as well, suffered his second Q1 knock-out of the weekend, going P19 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.

Following that, Red Bull immediately indicated it would keep all options open, alluding to yet another new setup and change of power unit components, both of which carry punishments.

Verstappen will be joined in the pit lane by the Haas of Esteban Ocon, who will start behind the 28-year-old, as he qualified P17.