Hamilton, Leclerc and Verstappen to have penalties

Published58 minutes ago

Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will all have grid penalties at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Verstappen will start from the back of the grid while Hamilton and Leclerc will both have 10-place penalties.

They join Mercedes driver George Russell in having penalties for using too many engine parts. Russell's drop is only five places.

Verstappen will have an an all-new engine fitted after Red Bull discovered problems after Friday practice.

Leclerc, Hamilton and Russell have all fitted new internal combustion engines.

The penalties for the Ferrari drivers are bigger than Russell's because it is the first time they have exceeded the limit of four engines per season, while Russell had already gone beyond that.

Verstappen famously won the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix from 17th on the grid after an engine penalty in a wet race.

Sao Paulo Grand Prix

6-8 November

Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra; live text updates on BBC Sport website and app

Rain is predicted overnight from Saturday into Sunday in the city this year, with forecasts saying it could rain at any point on race day.

Meanwhile, F1 announced on Saturday that Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit had extended its contract to host a grand prix until 2035.

F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said: "Brazil is an important part of F1's history and our future, and I am delighted that this five-year extension will see us continue racing in Sao Paulo until 2035.

"The passion of our Brazilian fans is extraordinary, and every time we return to Interlagos we feel their energy in the grandstands and in the city of Sao Paulo.

"The continued success and excitement surrounding the event shows why it holds such a special place on our calendar, and this agreement underlines our long-term commitment to Brazil."

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